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Irmo taxing authority. As a joint powers WMO, its board members are appointed at the local level by 36 city councils rather than the county board level. This theoretically allows for a higher level of 37 local input into the management of the resources. The Board has created a task force to study 38 what governance structure is best suited to manage the WMO into the future. The options 39 studied are: Remain with the current governance structure or merge with another WMO such as 40 the Vadnais Lake WMO or Ramsey Metro Washington Watershed District. The need to discuss 1 governance is driven by the need for additional financial resources to carry out its new draft plan 4d,"? and the state requiring the city's to revise the Joint Powers Agreement to remove the city's 3 financial control over the organization. We have attached a copy of the proposed revised Joint 44 Powers agreement. (Attachment A) We have asked the City Attorney to review the proposed 5 revisions to the agreement and the comments are attached. (Attachment B) 46 City staff has raised concerns with the Board regarding significantly higher level of support 47 through our city wide storm water fees due to competing capital and operational needs of the 4�� city. There is also an equity issue within both cities regarding how watersheds are funded. Both 49 Rice Creek Watershed District and Capital Region Watershed District have taxing authority and 50 collect approximately $20-25 per $100,000 property valuation to fund their operations and 51 capital programs. They collect the taxes only from the properties within their boundaries. These 5d"? same properties also pay a portion of their citywide storm water fees to fund the Grass Lake 53 WMO. If significantly higher amounts of revenue are required to fund the Grass Lake WMO the 54 Council may want to consider the alternative funding option to address the equity issue between 55 properties in the city's two watershed districts and Grass Lake WMO properties. 56 The cities can revise their storm water rates to collect the annual Grass Lake WMO budget 57 request only in the Grass Lake WMO boundary. This would eliminate the non Grass Lake 58 WMO properties from subsidizing this WMO in addition to paying watershed district taxes. The 59 cities have contributed $20,000-$25,000 per year over recent years for Grass Lake WMO 60 operations. The 2011 contribution is approximately $37,000. The new draft Plan is 61 contemplating an annual budget of$370,000-$416,000 for the next three years to carry out its 6d'? activity. 63 Staff is supportive of the WMO operating more independently of the cities. In meeting today's 64 water regulations it is a difficult position to be both the regulator and the responsible party for 65 meeting those regulations. 66 The City Council had some questions for the Board at the last presentation. A question was 67 asked whether a smaller organization could be as cost effective as a merger option with a larger 68 organization. Members of the Board are scheduled to update the Council on the task force 69 findings and subsequent Board recommendation regarding governance and the 2012 funding 70 request from the cities. 71 POLICY OBJECTIVE 7,, The City Comprehensive Plan and Comprehensive Surface Water Management Plans support "73 environmental stewardship and compliance watershed organizations and with current water "74 quality regulatory goals. The city is obligated to comply with state and federal water regulations. 75 BUDGET IMPLICATIONS 76 The City of Roseville currently funds 50% of the Grass Lake WMO budget through its Storm 77 Utility Fund which is fee supported across the entire city. If the GLWMO continues to operate Page 2 of 3