CC_Minutes_2011_1121 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday,November 21, 2011 Page 9 side the GLWMO citizen boundary; the high performance of both organizations with a potential merger and their deliver to GLWMO citizens and its water re- sources; and how an Improved GLWMO could become more effective through increased focus, monitoring efforts and education through the addition of two (2) FTE's, as well as addressing citizen concerns in keeping up with needed im- provements within the GLWMO. Mr. Miller reviewed the scoring/ranking process for each option based on "high- medium-low"weighting. In conclusion, Mr. Miller advised that the majority GLWMO Board recommen- dation as to ask the respective member City Councils to approve the revised JPA and implement a specific fee for an Improved GLWMO to remain independent. Discussion among Councilmembers, Mr. Miller and Mr. Petersen included the lack of a unanimous GLWMO Board recommendation on the future of the GLWMO; the complexity of the question apparently being rushed to a request; the process to-date in the GLWMO's development of the Third Generation Plan for the next decade, and finding out late in the process of the requirements that an approved JPA be in place prior to the Plan receiving its final ninety (90)- public agency review and subsequent approval by the Board of Water and Soil Re- sources (BWSR). Additional discussion included the proposed role of an Improved GLWMO and staffing versus merger with another WSD or WMO agency in implementing the Third Generation Plan; identifying the consulting firm who drafted the Plan up- date from the previous ten (10)-year Second Generation Plan; recognizing the significant funding increase for member cities for implementation of the Plan; the strict review by BWSR of the Plan to encourage the GLWMO to address imple- mentation of the Plan to meet State mandates; and the apparently momentum from BWSR staff to consolidate the GLWMO and move toward larger WSD's rather than operating as smaller, independent WMO's. Further discussion included the validity of the Plan itself; whether water quality would be better served from a broader, more regional concept based on staffing and continuity across that broader geography; the reputation of both organizations under consideration for merging; the points brought forward in the Minority Re- port prepared and provided via e-mail by Mr. DeBenedet; funding estimates and whether they were sufficient to implement the Plan at a minimum of over the next three (3) years; and a context of the task force research in cooperation with the GLWMO Board itself and subsequent voting exclusively by the GLWMO Board. Mayor Roe clarified with City Manager Malinen that the purpose of tonight's dis- cussion was for the presentation and information gathering, with action proposed at the City Council's November 28, 2011 regular business meeting.