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Gem Lake News Page 2 of 8
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<br /> MPCA Results (Continued from page 1)
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<br />The City of Gem Lake began its own education
<br />campaign, commissioned an updated water plan,
<br />explored options for municipal water systems, and began
<br />to apply for federal and state funding to pay the cost of
<br />installation, if deemed appropriate.
<br />
<br />When the MPCA appeared at a council meeting earlier
<br />this year, they reported to the City that a possible source
<br />for the contamination had been discovered at a nearby
<br />manufacturing firm. The name of this firm is Cortec,
<br />which is located just to the north of Gem Lake in White
<br />Bear Township. Cortec is now fully cooperating with the
<br />MPCA to find out more and to mitigate any problem as
<br />soon as possible.
<br />
<br />The MPCA outlined a plan to do further well testing in the
<br />affected area and to report back with the results on
<br />September 19. The goal was to continue to collect data,
<br />in order to determine if the well contamination is
<br />increasing or decreasing, and to see if it is moving to
<br />new areas.
<br />
<br />The results reported at the September meeting were
<br />somewhat surprising to the layman, but fairly predictable
<br />to the experts. Samples were collected from 39 wells last
<br />year, which generally encompassed the 22 affected wells
<br />and a variety of nearby wells. For the most current
<br />readings, data was captured from 34 of the same 39
<br />wells.
<br />
<br />Of these 34 wells, 26 had a declining amount of pollution
<br />present, with two of those falling into the Non-Detectable
<br />category. Most of the declines were fairly small, such as
<br />a decrease at one address from 1.8 ppb to 1.5 ppb. The
<br />most dramatic decreases occurred at two wells, one
<br />declining in pollution from 3.3 ppb to 2.1 ppb, and the
<br />other falling from 2.8 ppb to 1.4 ppb.
<br />
<br />Eight of the wells showed an increase of the presence of
<br />1,4-dioxane, although most of the increases were
<br />miniscule. For instance, one well went from a detection
<br />of 0.58 ppb (which is under the State’s standard for
<br />contamination) to 0.65 ppb. The largest of the increases
<br />occurred at a well that went from 1.6 ppb to 2.1 ppb.
<br />
<br />Although these results sound dramatically better, the
<br />MPCA urges caution. According to the agency, these
<br />numbers show changes that are not as startling as they
<br />may sound. The changes are actually quite small and
<br />might indicate that the pollution came from a one-time
<br />release of the chemical, although that has not been
<br />confirmed. The important thing to consider is how the
<br />chemical behaves in the ground over a long period of
<br />time. The answer will lie in regular testing over a long
<br />period of time. More tests in the area are planned for
<br />next year.
<br /> 2024 Truth-in-Taxation Final
<br />Budget Hearing (Continued from page 1)
<br />
<br />The 2024 preliminary property tax levy consists of a
<br />debt levy of $81,554.00 (a decrease from 2023
<br />preliminary debt levy of $2,864.00) and the general
<br />operating levy of $636,188.00 (an increase of 8.806%
<br />from the 2023 preliminary tax levy).
<br />
<br />The following changes were made from the 2023
<br />adopted budget as a basis for the 2024 proposed
<br />preliminary property tax levy:
<br />
<br />• Based on the 2015 Refunding Bond schedule the
<br />debt levy for 2024 is set for $76,269.00. In
<br />addition, in 2018, the City issued bonds for the
<br />improvements on Scheuneman Road and the 2024
<br />debt levy for this issue is $5,285.00. The two of
<br />these debt levies makes up the City’s 2024 debt
<br />levy of $81,554.
<br />• This budget does not include small government aid
<br />from the State, since the City no longer qualifies.
<br />This reduces revenues by $7,000.00.
<br />• City Council contingency was increased to
<br />$10,000.00 (was $9,000.00).
<br />• Clerk/General Government budget includes
<br />$60,000.00 for wages and $11,000.00 for health
<br />insurance coverage.
<br />• Clerk/General Government budget does not include
<br />$75,815.00 for the new software.
<br />• Planning & Zoning budget increased $5,000.00,
<br />based on past expenditures.
<br />• Police budget was increased 12.38% to
<br />$129,466.00 based on the City of White Bear Lake
<br />budget provided us and includes $115,877.00 for
<br />police services and $13,589.00 for debt payments
<br />on the new public facilities building.
<br />• The cost of fire services could increase 43.04% to
<br />$48,669.00. It includes $31,982.00 for fire
<br />services, $7,746.00 for fire marshal services, and
<br />$8,941.00 for debt payments on the new public
<br />facilities building. Overall, the City of White Bear
<br />Lake would like Gem Lake to pay $22,530.00 for
<br />the next 20 years for their new facility.
<br />• Road Maintenance budget includes $22,000.00 for
<br />road maintenance/repair and $15,000.00 for
<br />trimming boulevard trees.
<br />• Salt/sand reduced $3,000.00 to $12,000.00 and
<br />snow plowing contract decreased from $17,000.00
<br />to $15,000.00, both based on past expenditures.
<br />• Heritage Hall budget includes $15,000.00 for
<br />building improvements to the office doors and front
<br />window for security and $15,000.00 for the
<br />irrigation system.
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