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341 <br />342 Concluding his position statement, Member Miller summarized that he didn't think the economy of scale <br />343 worked for an Improved GLWMO, since it wasn't big enough to bring education, as an example, to the <br />344 same level as one of the merger options; and questioned if a $300,000 annual budget was realistic to <br />345 accomplish the goals of the GLWMO, even cutting back to 3 -4 priorities. <br />346 <br />347 Member Westerberg opined that, as an Improved GLWMO, the organization could target educational <br />348 efforts for the WMO, with economies of scale not necessarily involved, with many technical staff <br />349 available to provide those services. Member Westerberg advised that he was not willing to confine the <br />350 GLWMO to other WSD models, but preferred to focus and target things to the GLWMO and its means. <br />351 <br />352 Member Barrett opined that local educational component would be the biggest advantage of staying <br />353 independent. <br />354 <br />355 Member Von De Linde concurred, opining that it wouldn't be that expensive if the GLWMO did due <br />356 diligence. <br />357 <br />358 Regarding local control, Member Miller opined that this was another major concern of his, in addition to <br />359 costs, that by staying so small there would be a lot more focus on costs as opposed to benefits. Member <br />360 Miller opined that benefits of the watershed could accrue to a very large area; and while hearing that the <br />361 GLWMO was fairly landlocked, there had been water moving out of the watershed this year, so it was not <br />362 always insular and landlocked. Basically, Member Miller advised that his concern in remaining so small <br />363 was that it focuses on perceptions or potential costs, such as the major discussion over the "No Wake <br />364 Zone," and causes the WMO to become beholden to those issues and lose site of bigger picture benefits. <br />365 <br />366 Member Westerberg noted that the MPCA was currently doing the TMDL Study, with their charge and <br />367 scope to discern that for the GLWMO; and at this point he remained unconvinced, and thought it was <br />368 premature to say the BMP's needed to target would not be as cost - effective as those administered by <br />369 larger WMO's or WSD's. <br />370 <br />371 Member Miller noted that the TMDL Study or "WRAPP" as it was now called for the GLWMO's nine <br />372 (9) square feet of watershed would include impacts on watersheds outside the GLWMO as long as water <br />373 moved intermittently and impacted downstream watersheds, ultimately affecting 55 -60 square miles of <br />374 watersheds. <br />375 <br />376 As a resident of the GLWMO, Member Westerberg advised that his concern was to improve the water <br />377 quality of Lake Owasso, Snail Lake and Wabasso Lake — those three (3) resources — and that he didn't <br />378 have the same level of interest in resources outside the GLWMO. <br />379 <br />380 Member Miller referred to the "No Wake Zone" issue again and how the GLWMO would be beholden to <br />381 costs based on the perception to select residents of the high cost to their lifestyle; and based on that <br />382 perception the actions of the GLWMO Board in not taking any action. In looking at it from a bigger <br />383 picture, it would allow residents to look at things from the broader perspective and understand the <br />384 potential future benefits. If something else came forward, such as the vegetation issues, and citizens in <br />385 turn disputed that, Member Miller opined that it would be difficult for the GLWMO Board to act as an <br />386 organization to face such huge opposition, when citizens only considered their personal cost, and <br />387 dismissed the benefit that could accrue to a larger area on a bigger scale, and failed to understand that the <br />388 benefits were of equal cost in the decision - making process. Based on his observations during his short <br />389 tenure with the GLWMO Board, Member Miller noted how the GLWMO Board could become beholden <br />390 to select citizens and opined that he was unsure if that made sense in good decision - making processes. <br />391 <br />