All right, 5:30 on the dot. I will call the city of White Lakes council meeting for Tuesday, March 10th, uh, to order. Roll call, please. >> Councilors Grahams, >> here. >> Jarvala, >> here. Ecman >> here. >> Mat >> here. >> Mayor Scott >> here. May >> I have a quorum?
>> All right. Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. All right, moving on to the consent agenda. Has everybody had a chance to read through that? Any comments or questions for anything in there? Hearing nothing, I will ask for a motion
to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> So move. >> Motion from councelor Jarville. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Second by councelor Grahams. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carried. Moving on to the guests and
citizens forum. Um, is there anybody that wishes to say anything or any questions? >> Yeah. Would you mind standing up at the podium just because the the microphone will pick you up? >> Yeah, just raise your hand and then we can Yeah, I'll call on you. Sounds good.
>> All right. Perfect. All right. Thanks, Dan. Um, anything else? Um, nothing. So, we will move on to reports from city staff. Uh, city administrator Wyberg. >> I don't have anything to report today.
>> All right. Moving on to library director Lambie. >> Um, on Thursday we are showing the movie The Best Exotic Marold Hotel at 1:00 for our theater Thursday. Monday at 3:30, we have the Scalley Line, which will be
here playing Oldtime Stringland Music. On March 17th at 11 for our Tuesday creations program, we are going to be hosting a sip and paint. We are going to be painting barn quilt squares and we'll sip on Shirley Temples. Uh, backed by
popular demand, we have our jigsaw puzzle competition. Registration begins tomorrow at 10 and it is required um the competition will take place on March 25th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Sign up to
four people for a team. Individuals will be placed on a team and you can call, email, or stop into the library to sign up. We will have five teams. On March 27th at 1 PM, Rich Sodberg with the Iron Range Historical Society will present
information on the Longear Drill Site for Echoes Beyond the Pit, our local history talk. >> All right. Thank you. Moving on to public works director Snetzinger. >> Um, yeah, I guess I'll speak on both
behalf of public works and the wreck department since Bucky is not here. Uh the ice plant was shut down yesterday. Uh he is shaving ice, I believe, as we speak and public works will be over assisting in the removal of the ice for
the season at the arena. Uh along with cleaning up afterwards all the paint and water mess. Uh and hopefully by Friday have the arena set up for baseball season. Uh the high school baseball team practices in the rink area. We put up the batting cages as soon as the floor
is dry. So, we'll be working on that this week. Uh earlier this week, we were assisting the police department, uh rearranging some office spaces over at the EMS building, moving furniture, etc. Swapping a few things around over there.
And next week, we're going to get the sweeper out of storage, start the yearly maintenance on it, so it's ready to go soon as mother nature's. Other than that, uh just agenda items, I guess. >> Sounds good. Thank you.
Uh, moving on to city attorney Lewiki. Anything from you tonight? >> Uh, thanks, mayor. No, I don't have anything this evening. >> All right. Moving on to reports from elected officials. Councelor Grahams. >> Nothing to report tonight. >> Okay. Councelor Jarva.
>> Um, today attended the uh East Range Waterboard meeting. Um, we uh discussed uh different things. One of them was the uh drilling being done along the highway. That was for the core samples.
Was it for the sediment layers you guys were looking for? >> Yeah. So, it's boring to to look at the soil composition for where the transmission line would be run. So, be used for informing the contractor what type of soils they may run into.
They're they're doing the borings right next to the shoulder, but the line's going to be farther in off the edge of the road. Other things, some minor changes, the water plant. Also attended the East Range public safety board meeting this
afternoon. And in that uh we discussed uh several things about Sergeant Seabbert, the sergeant that recently passed away. funeral is March 21st at 11:00 a.m. at Msabi East. We discussed
the problems that exist with the K9, uh what's going to happen with the dog and also uh Sergeant Sebert's private pistol, which apparently will go to his family because if he retired, he would have gotten it anyway. But right now,
they're they're still trying to make up their mind to where the dogs are going to go. dog is going to retire this year and it may go to the family. It may go to a train handler and we'll find out shortly what's going to happen with that. That's about all I got. Okay. Uh
thank you. Uh councelor Ecman. >> Um I don't really have too much. I went down to no check this weekend and I heard a lot of compliments on how great the arena looks. So that was nice to hear. And that's it. >> Perfect. Uh, Councelor Mat, anything
from you? >> Um, yeah, last week I was able to attend the Tri City uh, ambulance meeting. Um, just kind of went over everything from last year's numbers. Uh, the ambulance ran over a thousand calls last year,
which is a record for them. Um, most of the calls not being in the city of White Lakes, but uh, running outside into the Tri City area there. Um, and then the only other thing that kind of came up at that meeting was they are looking to add two full-time EMTs for next year. Uh,
just based off of the numbers and the hours trying to fill. So, it was a good meeting overall. Went over everything and ambulance seems to be doing well. >> Sounds good. Thank you. Um, nothing major um on my side of things. So,
nothing to report. Um before before moving on um with our council meeting, I just wanted to acknowledge um Sergeant uh Cody Sbert's passing um which had occurred a few days after our last council meeting. Um I had posted a statement on our city's Facebook page,
but I again just wanted to express my condolences to his family, friends, and fellow officers at East Range PD. Um for those who know Cody, he was he was a both a great officer and a great man. um which I do think was made evident by kind of the overwhelming number of
people um who've reached out to share memorable stories about him and express their sadness about his passing. Um so while members of the police department um were down in Duth um while Cody was in the hospital um showing their support for for him and his family uh officers
from Gilbert PD and St. Louis County Sheriff's Department stepped up to help make sure calls were being responded to um and the piece was being kept um here and in Aurora. Um, so I just wanted to thank them for doing that and for their support. Um, also like to thank all city
staff, um, for city administrator Wyberg and city hall staff to city attorney Lewiki, um, for their hard work behind the scenes during kind of this tragic time, uh, to make sure that kind of those human resource things related to his passing were were taken care of. Um, additionally, I just wanted to express
my gratitude for our police officers, EMS, and fire staff who um, despite losing someone they were were close to are continuing to show up and do their best jobs to ensure that um, we're staying safe. So, their their strength and commitment to our community is
greatly appreciated. Um, so lastly, um, as you may know, there is a GoFundMe for his family. Um so if you have some funds that you can donate um I'm sure they would be thankful for the support. So that was all I had to say um regarding
that. So moving ahead with business as usual. Um nothing for old business. So we'll move right on to new business 11.1. Uh updated city hiring policy. Um, so after being on the personnel committee for the
past year, um, I wanted to kind of look through our hiring policy and just see where things were at with um, the hiring policy. Um, so I read through it, um, made some changes. Um, talked with, um, Tammy and Betsy and and Dean about
things that we were doing or weren't doing. Um, so I just made changes that more reflected about kind of how things are done currently. Um, so for the advertisements piece of it, um, there was different places that um, we had previously that we said we would um,
post um, advertisements to that weren't I think Minnesota Works was one of them. It's sounded like we haven't been posting there for a long time. So on that first part, I just kind of put like the bare minimum of places we would add. So, we will post for like the full-time
position um like Msabi Tribune, uh League of Minnesota Cities, the website, Facebook page, and then the East Range Shopper. Um and then in for the part-time and full-time employees, I also put in a little section about um we could go beyond kind of the bare minimum
if it um is depending on kind of the um position. So, like if we had to fill the city administrative spot in the future, we'd want to probably go above and beyond with kind of different places because um different city administrators move locations for positions. Um whereas
like if we were trying to get someone for public works, we wouldn't have to post to two um many places like we would with the city administrator. So, I thought that needed to be changed. Applications. So, previously we just had
um that like if there was um forget the exact verbiage. Uh if there's an incomplete application, it'll be discarded. I felt that was a little too um broad and wasn't specific enough. And especially if council members are coming
and going into their spots and then the city administrator, if that position is changing over time, every council and city administrator will do things differently. it's just so broad. So like if it's incomplete, if there was a date missing, some city administrator might
throw that out because it's technically incomplete, whereas like a different city administrator would be like, "That's not a big deal, so we'll keep it and just kind of disregard that." So I kind of flushed out what I thought um like an incomplete um application would look like. Um so it gives us some wiggle
room with um keeping um applications. The big piece of it is as long as they have things about like the minimum qualifications. And again, it doesn't necessarily mean that we're going to rate them higher if they're not filling everything out um or even interviewing them. Um but it just allows us to at
least look at their application rather than just throwing it out right away. Um kept the um with the application, they have to file it with us before that deadline or we won't accept it. I think that was pretty fair. There has to be a hard deadline with with any sort of
application. um reference check. Um I made that a little bit more broad. So like if we need to, we can reach out to references um if we need to and if we don't feel that it's necessary necessary, we don't um have to do that. Um
post hiring requirements. Um talked with Tammy and Betsy about what our usual procedure was with that or what they were thinking. So I kind of updated that piece of it. Um, and then seasonal positions. In the
past, we haven't um like explicitly stated what we would um do with hiring seasonal positions, but we've been doing it where um like the department um directors review the applications and then um just make that recommendation to
the city council. So then I just put that um in writing that that's what we have been doing and will continue to do. Um, so those were just the updates I thought um would be good to have just with moving forward. Like I said, I just wanted to be on the personnel committee
or hiring committee for a year and then um look back at kind of what our policy is and then just kind of reflecting on how things have been done the past year and then talking with city staff. I just think that um these are the changes that I think more is in line with how we do
things currently. So, um, anybody have any questions or comments regarding kind of some of these changes? I had recommended any disagreements or um I I thought it was fair with you, Dean. Was it?
>> No, I appreciate the fact you went through that and uh >> I >> like I said, everything in yellow, everything is highlighted what was changed. So, um it provid clarity to especially around the some of these grayer areas.
>> Um yeah, was it last week or the week before? I kept kicking Dean out of his seat so I could work on this and make updates. So, I kind of felt felt bad for for doing that. So, >> standing over my shoulder? Yeah. Standing over your shoulder, kicking you out. Um,
>> anything on your end, Joel, that you agree with or disagree with with updates or >> Yeah, I think uh I think overall it's good. I think there's a lot in it that still complies with, you know, Minnesota state hiring laws. There's some
uh in in uh in the application section, there's some potentially introduced subjectivity that we may want to tweak. Okay. >> Um, >> and some of the in some of the latitude that's there, which is intentional, it
does create, well, what's a minor error? What's a what's a what's a blank that matters and what's a blank that doesn't matter. >> And, uh, so, and I, if I understand the spirit, uh, I think that it's a good step forward. I I maybe wouldn't approve
that section at right now as drafted. I'd request since he asked asked me to uh provide feedback. I' I'd probably have uh some suggestions on that section to make it a little bit more defensible and not just subjective on the individual who's reviewing that for
initial compliance. >> No. Yeah, if you Yeah. would please read through it um and just provide any sort of feedback on >> what you think would be best. So, um I'll make a motion to table that. Is there a second?
>> So, move. Second from councelor Jarbala. All those in favor? >> I >> I. >> Any opposed? He hearing none. Motion carried. So yeah, we'll just wait on um Joel to look through that and then provide his recommendations and then we can make that change. >> I will I'll get those to to Dean before the next meeting. >> Thank you.
>> Yeah. Thank you, Joel. Uh moving on to 11.2 two resolution 2026007 um acceptance of fiscal agent responsibility for Ranger Snowmobile AT branch. Um
would you folks mind yeah speaking to that? >> Roy Borigard 434 Andover Road. I'm here for the Rangers. >> Stuart Borugard 305 Andover also here for the Rangers. Yeah, I guess the think you guys may
have seen a resolution previously on this. Uh this is just a different grant. So, what we're looking to do is uh remodel and create a trail head at the Stevens Chamber shelter. It was damaged due to a fire two years ago. And this
project started out just to refresh that and fix that. Um, but now it's going to turn into a whole trail head where the Sabi trail over the trail and the snow trail all join together as well as provide a picnic area for families uh
and then a swimming area. So, uh, this grant would be the LCCMR grant um for 2027. Uh, if approved, it would fund a good a good amount of this project.
So, we're looking for the at minimum the resolution for the fiscal agents of the city. So, you're represent us as the fiscal agent. Um, we would still apply for the grant and you guys will hand the money if if awarded. Um, I don't know. Secondly, if we can possibly get another
resolution of putting the grant in the city's name. Uh, a lot of the LCCRA grants are through this municipalities. Um, and that would ease some of our extra paperwork that we'd have to do as just the Ranger Club. And I know our
previous grants have gone through city administrator Lambie previously. Uh, and were awarded and processed. I think one is still in process now. But >> once once that money is paid out, Stuart, how is it dispersed then from the city to the club to pay for work you
guys are doing down there? Do you have to present bills that you've already paid or bills that you've gotten for being paid or >> uh the invoices would come through uh from the the company doing the work. They would invoice directly to the city. The city
would make those payments and then send those uh payments and bills to the LCCMR where they get reimbursed. >> Okay. So, it wouldn't be money transferred to >> No, the Ranger Club doesn't touch the money at all. That's that's what the physical agent is. It's all the money
travels through you. >> And like you'd mentioned, the city has been doing this previously that has been my understanding working pretty good. So >> yes, I believe the last one was the Moose Trail, which is still under on in progress. The section going to Skybo and then beyond.
It's all done through LCCMR. >> Yeah. The the Rangers have uh received in the past three LCCMR grants. uh one for 900, one for 1.1 million, and one for 950. Uh the St. Louis Colony was our fiscal
agent on two of them. The city was the fiscal agent on one of them. This one will be for 1.1 if we're awarded the full amount. >> Anything from you, Dean, or anybody else on the council? Any questions or comments for >> I guess my only question is that second
resolution is not going to be signed by 15. Okay. >> The the >> it would wouldn't necessarily have to be a resolution. If the city ends up being the the applicant, all we would need is a letter signed by the mayor saying that the city is the applicant. We would
still fill out all the paperwork. the resolution as a fiscal agent would cover you, you know, whether we do it through the city or whether we do it through the rangers. That resolution would be the only resolution we need, I think. >> And you're going to send me a draft of
that letter so I can >> Yes, we can send a draft, too. >> I have a draft right here. >> In word, please. >> Uh, yep, it's in word. Oh, I I'll email it to you. >> Thanks. No, I think they're do great work. Amazing.
>> I agree. I'm glad that there's Yeah. a group in the community that's willing to put in all this time and effort to um yeah, better the community by Yeah. >> building trails. >> See Steven's chamber come back to life would be awesome, >> right? Um so yeah. Any other comments or questions? Um if not, I'll ask for a
motion to approve resolution 2026007. Um for the >> I'll make that motion. Motion from councelor Jarba. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Second from councelor Ecman. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carried. Um and then Joel with that
second piece um that they're wanting. Should we make that a motion also? >> I would. Yeah, I would authorize the um the letter of support and authorize you to sign that uh based on the
representation of the original the previous resolution and switching the applicant to the city signed by you mayor. >> Okay, >> I would make a motion >> to that effect. >> Perfect. A motion from councelor Grahams, second from councelor Jarala.
All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Hearing? None. Motion carried. Moving on to 11.3 advertising the cemetery caretaker/ uh recycled driver vacancy. Would you
mind speaking to this, Kenny? >> Sure. So, um, many of you may know historically at the city, uh, some of our, uh, longstanding or yearround, uh, part-time positions have been a recycle
driver. Um, we've always, uh, Steve Link worked here for over 30 years. Um, driving around picking up the recycles at the businesses three days a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday mornings. Um, and then we've always had a cemetery
caretaker as well. Um, we're currently without both of those positions. Steve retired two years ago. Um, I've been filling that vacancy with part-time kids. Uh, summertime, a lot of kids are also doing PSO or going to college
online. So, I've been fortunate enough to have kids for the most part doing it, filling it in occasionally with full-time staff. Um, we've gotten by for the past, it'll be two years this summer. Um, it's been I haven't had a a
college kid in that position now since November, and it's been pretty tough for the last few months to get by staffing it with full-time staff. Um, and then the cemetery caretaker we've had for the past 5 years let me know last fall that
he wouldn't be returning this summer. Um, which is unfortunate. he did a great job. Um, so with the seasonal advertising we'd be putting out for that position, um, Dean and I have been talking about this quite a bit and I think we can kind of possibly merge or
blend the two jobs getting by with one year round uh, part-time person. Uh, seven to eight months out of the year they would do the recycle route. summertime they take care of the cemetery in which time I have all the
summer kids so I could staff the recycle route with kids. So I think we could get by with that and kind of create just one position out of the two. So we've drafted up kind of a uh our dean did uh drafted up a kind of a combination of
the two job descriptions into one. uh it mostly talks about the cemetery maintenance and stuff and just one line saying recycle driver picking up and delivering recycles as needed uh etc. So I'd like to uh you know go ahead and
advertise for this position see what kind of interest we get and move forward with uh getting somebody hired. >> Any questions? >> You read through the job description and think it looks good. >> Yeah. Yeah, I do. I think it hits everything. And uh and just so everybody
knows too, the the recycle uh driver position, we we actually do create revenue off of that to fund that role. So, it's budgeted, but also funded. And then the cemetery uh caretaker has been
budgeted a budgeted position all along through the cemetery. So, both of these are budgeted for calendar year 26. And so if if anything, I think we'll actually save money between the two by merging them into one.
>> What's the pay rate, >> Dean? Do you have it? >> Uh rate. Uh it's in the It's in the packet that you guys approved at the beginning of the year for the temporary sal temporary employees. Yeah, I think it's
the same as what we pay the the guys who currently work at the recycle center, the Zamboni drivers, all of our >> more or less part-time staff that are seasonal as well. >> How many hours like a week is required or >> um well, traditionally we found out that
um so like Steve for many many years only worked 14 hours a week or 14 13 and a half. He worked three 4 and 1/2 hour shifts Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Um same thing at the cemetery that was 14
hours a week. Um and and we found out the reason after the fact was uh you know just that was some Paris stipulation. um we can um you know so so that's my goal in the
off season still with the recycle route to do the 3 days a week 4 to 4 and 1/2 hours a day um when that this person would go to the cemetery same thing the cemetery takes about 14 hours a week to maintain it seems to be a reasonable
amount of time to get all the duties done up there um if the person was to try and do both I I mean, we could, you know, um, let that person work more hours because now it's it's no longer we're, you know, trying to avoid the par
regulation. Um, but as I said before, um, I think it would be roughly a 14hour a week position and, uh, in the summertime I would staff their recycle route with summer kids.
So, ballpark 14 hours a week. Um, no. We need someone picking up recyclables and then we need someone taking care of the cemetery. And it sounds like you're taking advantage of both of those positions being vacant and turning them into one. So, I think that's a a smart idea at this point. >> Yeah. I I mean, it may not work out as I
thought, but like I say, for two years, I've already been staffing it with kids and we've had a cemetery caretaker in the summer. This just kind of blends the two and gives somebody a year round position doing both.
>> Any other comments or questions for Kenny? >> Maybe this is a dean question, but can you just refresh my memory with the pay equity points? What does that mean again >> for the PAR? Oh, >> just the pay equity on top. >> Yeah, that's that survey we do every
other couple years. We just got our results back. Yeah, Tammy does a a pay equity study on all positions, full-time and part-time throughout the city that basically just looks at responsibilities and make sure that people are paid
>> accordingly or whatever. >> Male, female, gender. >> Okay. >> Y submits to the state and we get a score. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Anything else?
Hearing nothing, I'll ask for a motion to uh approve the advertising for the cemetery caretaker/ uh recycle driver. >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion from councelor Matson, second from councelor Jarvala. All those in favor?
>> I. Any opposed? >> Hearing none. Motion carried. Moving on to 11.4. um advertising for summer seasonal employees. Um Dean or Kenny, either of you have anything to to say about this?
>> It's the same number as last year. So, and we want to get the post advertisement out on April 6. We have enough time to get the positions filled prior. I think we ran up against the wall last year, I think. Um well, out at the golf course anyway. >> Yeah. a little bit sooner
>> in order for the golf course to get some of these positions filled uh prior to kids getting out of school. You know, they they often need people in May. So, if we get it advertised in April, we go through all the apps and we can get somebody hired by May. And then the
kids, uh, generally speaking, if they're students, they all start after schools out. And as Dean said, these are all the exact same numbers in every department that we've historically had and our budgeted for again this year.
Any uh questions or comments from the council? Hearing nothing, I'll ask for a motion to um approve the advertising for the summer or summer seasonal employees. >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion from councelor Grahams. Is there a second?
>> A second. >> Second from councelor Matson. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion carried. Moving on to 11.5. Uh resignation letter um from the EMS
department. Um, an Rand who had been with the uh, EMS department for about 30 years um, is officially resigning. Um, she had she had moved a while ago and just kind of sounds like isn't able to or doesn't want to um,
be uh, a part of the ambulance um, department anymore. Um, so she sent in a um, resignation letter. So standard for us is just to accept these. Um any questions or comments?
>> I'll make a motion we accept it with the city's thanks for her years of service. >> Yes, absolutely. So motion from councelor Jarva. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Second from councelor Ecman. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Hearing none. Motion
carried. Uh 11.6 Six, resolution 2026 006, a resolution of an application to the drinking water uh revolving fund uh for regionalization with the East Range Water Horde. Um yeah, Brian's up there.
>> Good evening, uh mayor and council. Um so, uh my name is Brian Golden with Bolton Bank. I work alongside Jake on the water treatment plant project and he has a conflict tonight, so I'm just kind of filling in for him. But um so you have this resolution uh for the loan
application. I just want to talk through what this is, what it means, what it doesn't mean. Um so when you go through public facilities, the for financing, there's several phases as you go along. And in this kind of first step, well, I shouldn't say this is almost the second
step. The first step was about um nine months ago, there was an application to get on a funding list called the PPL. So, there were some documents put in uh last spring to get on that list. Uh once you're on the list um and you've moved forward with plans and specifications
starting to develop that design, there is a deadline for submitting a loan application, which is the end of March. Um this loan application is really just the first step or the second step in continuing the funding process. Um it doesn't uh require you to take out
a loan. It doesn't uh I know there's a loan amount in the resolution that is simply stating the estimated total project cost at this point, but it doesn't necessarily take into consideration grants or other funding sources that may come in. So, right now,
it's just stating the estimated cost. It does not mean that that is going to be the final loan amount. The final loan amount would actually not be determined until you have uh bids. Um, and so the only time you're really saying we are
moving forward and we're confirming this and we're going to take out the debt would be when you would award a construction project to a contractor. At that point then you are committing to take on the loan. Um, so in a way you could think of this as kind of like a
preapproval process if you were getting a home mortgage where you simply go and say, "Hey, can I get a loan?" um that doesn't commit you to actually taking out the funds or signing the loan documents. Uh but it's kind of the first step in the application process. Um so
when when we submit these documents, uh the PFA will go through it and they would approve the loan application and then basically you will sit in that queue until you would move into the construction phase. And then after a contract is awarded, we would go back to
the public facilities authority, submit what's called the asbid costs, and then they would do the final work on the loan, and then you would actually have a loan closing, and you'd have some other actions to take at a future council meeting. Um, so that that's kind of what
this particular resolution is about. So, I can just pause there and happy to answer any questions there may be about the resolution or or the project in general. So, Any questions or comments? >> Yeah, Dave and I have kind of and Dean
have already kind of heard this before. >> Um, so like he had mentioned kind of that initial step in moving forward with the the water project with Aurora and then securing funds. There's a loan amount on there, but it doesn't sound like that'll be the exact amount or that um looks like >> it won't be the city's portion, that's
for sure. >> Right. Yeah. Yes. It might be the cost of the It might be the cost of the project but not not the city's portion. We are uh you know we already know that through the public facilities authority based on the cost of the project >> that you would event be eligible for the
water infrastructure grant which is a $10 million grant. Um you know so that one's going to be eligible but at this point they simply it's just putting in the the estimated cost. So >> stand up. >> Um >> yeah. you have to stand. Yeah.
>> So, I did some research on I see that we're on the list. There's like 112 cities that are on that list that are asking for these funds. We're number I think 908. There's a million dollars. Is that for
resurfacing one of the water towers? Is what what is that for? >> The million. No, we we pulled that one, but it might still be showing up there. >> I just looked at the list today. Sure. Sure. Uh, so actually what that probably is is there was a previous application
into the project priority list, the PPL for a recoding of the standpoint. >> Now that list just regurgitates year after year >> if you've already been on the list. It doesn't mean you're moving forward. Um, I suppose we never indicated to
Department of Health that that could come off the list. That could be a comment we give them this year. >> Oh, and I did notify the state. >> Okay. So, >> so we're off that list for sure. >> Okay. Yes. So, that was probably a carryover project. Um, actually the
rehabilitation costs from that project are now in the cost of this project. So, um I'll just make a note that we'll have to notify department of health that that that project. So, and then the other one
I think we're number 950 and that allocation was for $18 million. So, did the cost go up to 24 million from $18 million or um so the list uh I suspect the list that you would have looked at
would have been the application that was put in last year. Um, I would have to look back if was that listed for the water treatment plant project 18 >> to join. >> Okay. Um, I'm trying to remember when that
application went in and what the costs would have been. I didn't think they changed over time. >> No, I'm not familiar with that application at all. So, that was prior. But the initial presentation I see when I first started it was around that 18 million.
>> Okay. Um so it is it is possible that it could be an older number as well. >> Um >> but I know for >> quite a while I think what at least has been communicated with the council here is
>> in that 24 range. Um, so I I'm not it it is possible that number could be old because again it it kind of renews itself. >> That's also about what it would be with because now we're bringing the main all the way to the stand pipe versus I think
the assumption was we're going to stop at Alaskan. >> Yes. >> Initially. >> Yep. Um, so there has been a little bit of added cost and the stand pipe cost that went in there, but um, it wouldn't have been, you know, 6 million to go from 18 to 24, but I can surely follow
up on that if need be. >> And then the even bigger question that I have, I know that, you know, you've done a lot of leg work on this project. There hasn't been has there been a community input meeting with now we have a number that it's $24
million which could be reduced by 10 million. So that's $14 million. You divide that over a 30-year loan. I did the 24 million not knowing we could get some money knocked off of there. But at
24 million on a 30-year loan with no interest, it was going to cost the city $800,000 a year. So where are we going to come up with that money? Is that going to go directly to the taxpayers? >> So who should have
>> You want to talk about the affordability number because my number is about 3.4 million debt to the city. >> Um yeah, so uh couple different factors there. So the uh uh affordability grant that I referenced is based on uh median
household income and how much uh is affordable. And the state has set that at 1.2% of the median household income. Uh and so what it comes out to on an affordability level is your median household income I think is around >> 72 I believe >> 72,000.
>> That would come out to an affordability limit of about $72 per month on a water bill. uh and the goal of the funding sources is try to keep it at that level. Now the max on the this affordability
grant is 10 million. So you can't get more than 10 million on that part of the grant. Um and so there uh is going to be efforts uh there's already been a request put into Stalbur's office for federal funding. There's going to be
looking at state funding. Um, we have initiated a kind of um uh public information campaign, if you will, to to both do education of the public here, but then also to use that
information to go to the legislature to look for these appropriations. And so there's several other aspects of funding that are kind of also in the works. Um, one of the other things with the affordability and when you compare it to um, your current rates is that the
operational costs of the joint facility are going to go down significantly. Um, and I'll give you one one example is right now your facility uses between $150 and $200,000 a year in chemicals to treat the water because it's a difficult
water source. And we estimate that the new water source will probably be about $20,000 a year. So what you're going to see is a reduction in O andM costs, which then provides some additional affordability when it comes to debt
costs. Um, and so that's where, you know, you may go, well, we can't take on that debt right now. Well, you might actually be saving 200,000 a year in chemicals. which then can go towards um the debt,
right? Um and so those are kind of all of the the different things that are in work in trying to fund the project. And so the uh the intent of the project would not be to take out a $24 million loan or even a $14 million loan. is to
get that loan down to where the rates go up 10 20% to that affordability limit. Um and so those are all the avenues being pursued. Um IT RB is another potential one that I think I think Dean you've have you had conversations with
Chris already? >> Not on the water project. >> Okay. Um, I might be mixing it up, but but anyway, you know, they may contribute some funds. And so, um, there's really going to be a continued effort for the funding. And one of the big questions a lot of these funding
sources ask is, is your project shovel ready? Because when they do out the money, they want to get it spent. They don't want to give you the money and have it sitting there for three years. And so, the efforts right now are to get it shovel ready. and that is going to be
more advantageous for these funding sources. Um, and so I I think as time goes on and more of this develops, there'll be more direct communication regarding what would those rates actually look like. So,
>> so when you you said about contacting Pete Stabber, so also did some research. From what I see that all of the funding that comes to the Minnesota revolving water fund comes from the federal government already. Am I correct in that or did I read that wrong?
>> Uh, some does. So, the revolving fund has both federal and state uh portions to it. Um what the uh so that's on a more grand level. There is still an opportunity to get direct appropriations
from a federal level. Um you know the old earmarks term which is now congressional direct spending I guess is the the appropriate term. Um and so someone like Stalber could say I want $5 million or $3 million to go
specifically to this project. And then that would be on top of these other funding sources. >> So Dan, another thing is that talking with Brian and and as well as Shannon Sweeney, our consultant on this from the financial side, you probably know, >> but we're at the beginning of a
marathon. We got three years to three or maybe more to get fully funded here. And we're not going to put a shovel on the ground until it's 100% funded. So, >> and you know, I know that sitting on the council and if we raise the water bill
by $5 a year, we we got a lot of feedback and flack. And I just don't want it to come that all of a sudden we're we're committed to this project, we're going to do it. And now the citizens, you're going to have to pay your portion. Granted, I know people
complained about the water, >> but are they going to complain more about what the cost is going to end up >> coming back to them? That was my big concern and getting that information out to the citizens as quick as possible. >> Thank you.
>> Yeah. And I I think one more thing I'll just add to that is um one one important thing and this is going to be part of the public education campaign is that because of the state of the existing plant which is is aging doesn't have
meet code compliance there'd be a lot of improvements needed to that plant and so realistically what the city was facing was taking out a having a large cost on the water system either to fix what's
there or to go to a different source. And so I think the reality was no matter what the solution was, there was going to be probably this level of expense needed to upgrade the system and that through the evaluation, this by far and
away was the preferred method. And so if it wasn't this, it would have been some other form of infrastructure project that in and likely would have costed just as much >> for the same water. >> For the same water. Yeah. And so I think
that's a a message that will be delivered through that media campaign as we go forward that this is this was going to happen, but this is also going to bring a different water source and a different water quality. So, um, so
>> I don't remember the exact numbers, but I don't think they were that far off on what we would have had to put into the new plant. >> They weren't because, um, there's a lot of needs out there, and once you started fixing that plant, the Department of Health would have made it come up to
code. >> Yeah. And so you would have been probably building a new plant >> and then like Jill said, still pulling from the same water source, still having to treat that water as much >> and you'd still have the high chemical
costs and all these other things. So, um, you know, far and away going through that evaluation and especially the long-term of the community because when you decrease those O andM costs, I know it's a third, it could be a 30-year term, so it's going to take 30 years to pay the loan off, but once the loan is
paid off and now you have those low O andM costs and you're sharing all that infrastructure, so when something breaks down, it's split three ways. Um, you know, the generations after you guys are going to continue to see the benefit of
this project. Um, you guys might feel it more because you're going to be paying the loan off, but but when that loan runs out and for the next 80 years, it's going to pay dividends. So, so
>> yeah. All right. >> Yeah. Thank you for the information. Any other questions or comments before he hits the road? Nothing. Thank you, Dan, for Yeah, the questions, too. Those are good good questions to bring up. >> Um Yeah. >> Um
so, we're looking at a motion to approve resolution 2026. >> What do we Yeah, 2026. Uh motion from councelor Java. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Second from councelor Grahams. All those in favor? I. >> Any opposed? Hearing none, motion
carried. Uh, and that is it for the agenda. So, we will move towards adjournment. Is there a motion for that? >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion from councelor Graham. Second from councelor Jarvala. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Hearing? None. Motion
carried. Thank you.