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Winter 2013-14 City Hall - 3800 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042 (651) 747-3900 The City of Lake Elmo is seeking $4 million in state bond- ing to extend water to the I-94 corridor to areas where PFCs are in the groundwater. The City of Lake Elmo would match this request with $5.4 million in borrowed funds to complete a project which will create a better hy- draulic system for residents and provide clean, unfiltered water throughout the City. “We find ourselves between a rock and a hard place with the State of Minnesota. On one hand our Met Council Agreement requires the City to grow, and on the other hand our funding mechanism, which was the State’s law- suit with 3M, is stalled. Bonding funds should be used to build the state’s infrastructure, so this seems like the best way for the State of Minnesota to help our residents out,” said Mayor Mike Pearson. The Mayor and City staff have been meeting with lawmak- ers, state agencies, and the Governor’s office to request $4 million dollars in what is expected to be a roughly $900 million state bonding bill that will be debated by the Leg- islature in the spring of 2014. The City’s goal is to have legislation introduced in the House and Senate, and be in the Governor’s recommendations before the hearing process begins in February. Senator Karin Housley (R) and Senator Susan Kent (D) have been very helpful in the process of talking to leg- islators about the importance of this bonding request – as has Representative Matt Dean (R-Dellwood), Repre- sentative Joanne Ward (D-Woodbury), Representative Andrea Kieffer (R-Woodbury), and Representative Peter Fischer (D- White Bear Lake). Lake Elmo’s State Repre- sentative, Kathy Lohmer, has also been very supportive of the proposal. There is also support for the City’s bond- ing request from state agencies. “It is nice to see bi-partisan support for this legislation. I think everyone that we have talked with understands the merits of providing clean drinking water to our residents and is able to set party politics aside. It’s refreshing,” said Deputy City Clerk Beckie Gumatz, a former staff member in the legislature whose knowledge of the process has been invaluable to Lake Elmo. The City will use these funds to create a trunk watermain line that will run from the water tower on the corner of Highway 5 and Ideal to the I-94 corridor. In the process, the City will eventually serve subdivisions (Torre Pines, Parkview Estates, Cardinal Ridge and Cardinal View) that are on GAC filters due to adulteration. A water tower will be added south of 10th Street to create the right hydraulic pressure for individual plumbing systems to handle the water efficiently. A new well has been drilled (with MnDNR approval) that has adequate water supply and that won’t affect groundwater drawdown. The Mayor and City staff will continue to meet with key legislators including the Chairpersons of the Capital In- vestment and the Environmental Committees in prepara- tion of the spring hearing process, but also are encourag- ing taxpayers to contact Senator Housley (651-296-4351) and Representative Lohmer (651-296-4244) to show their support. Lake Elmo Seeks $4 Million in Bonding to Provide Clean Drinking Water City Hall - 3800 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042 (651) 747-3900 The Minnesota State Legislature is set to convene on February 25, 2014.