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pill, <br />. k..`F4�9 .�' �F"'.��"+�'-�z �d�riu' .:,.�y. �' ;5y�.-.. F4xy�f �tiy.�.� a'f , is .� 'f .'a' � ,•... fi'(4-�'��' �� _ a�!-r�,`'. ! i !� <br />December 2023l Volume 17 l Issue 6 <br />Gretchen Artie-Sv omley, Newsletter Editor <br />�i,{3,'e• - F. �I.i n $' J1:.., - ii <br />Key representatives from the Minnesota Pollution. Control <br />Agency'.(MPCA) provided an update on local. well <br />contamination during a special' presentation at the <br />September 19. Gem -Lake City Col meeting. <br />The presence of the chemical 1,4-dioxane was first <br />detected in 22 Gem Lake wells approximately two.years. <br />ago.as part'.of an area investigation of accidental <br />pollution released -by the Water Gremlin Company over <br />the course of: several years. Well testing. was first <br />conducted.on wells that were. one mile away from. the <br />headquarters on Otter Lake Road in White Bear <br />Township, This was later expanded to wells located 1.5 <br />miles away from the headquarters. During this wider look <br />at area wells, 1,47dioxane .showed up in 22. wells, <br />Although the a.rnount. of contamination was considered <br />very. small (1-3 parts per billion {ppb}), it was still over the <br />Minnesota limit.of 1.ppb and needed to be dealt with. <br />Over the. course of. the next few years; the MPCA has <br />worked to find the. source of the pollution; educate the <br />public on the chemical and provide:bottled water to <br />affected homeowners. <br />(Continued on Page 2) <br />The City of Gerry Lake will approve its final 2024 property <br />tax:levy and budget at a public hearing on December 19, <br />starting at 7:0.0p.m. The State of Minnesota requires that <br />cities approve a. preliminary' budget by September .29, <br />which.the Gem Lake City Council accomplished at its:city <br />councill.meeting on September 19. Cities then have until <br />the end of December to.approve a final budget, allowing <br />time for budget numbers to be refined: and finalized. <br />While a city can reduce its budget numbers for the final <br />budget, it cannot, by law, increase its proposed budget <br />levy from the numbers -approved in thepreliminary <br />budget. For this reason,. most cities certify a preliminary <br />budget using "worst -case" budget scenarios. <br />In September, the 2024 prelim inary.property.taX levy was <br />approved at. $717,742, which is'a 1,29% increase from <br />the 2023 certified preliminary property tax levy, <br />(Continued on Page 2) <br />RM <br />