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Current Information

I will update this blog as I receive new information.

The Bloge is in hibernation

12/22/2017

3 Comments

 
I am not going to be updating the blog as the City is hosting the meeting notes.
If you do not have MS word you can read the notes using the free Google docs app.
Meting Notes:

http://www.oronoco.com/index.asp?SEC=1B64FC52-80E3-4FA4-8C9B-75C9070EB372&Type=B_BASIC
3 Comments

February Meeting Notes

2/9/2016

1 Comment

 
February 9th Oronoco sewer and water meeting.
 
We had the heater running full speed so with the fan noise I had a hard time hearing every one.  This  made it difficult to take notes.
 
This information is the way I preceded the conversation but may not be 100% accurate. The official meeting notes should be on Oronoco's web page with in a few days.
 
I did not make it to January's meeting but the official meeting notes will be on Oronoco's web page
http://www.oronoco.com/index.asp?SEC=1B64FC52-80E3-4FA4-8C9B-75C9070EB372&DE=464AF544-61C6-4363-BF01-1D0A90EC3CC6&Type=B_BASIC
If you do not have Microsoft word you can open the meeting notes using Google doc's
 
This month was the annual  MOU Annual Report discussion with:
  •  Steve Oscarson, MPCA
  • John Harford
  •  Don VanKeulen, Olmsted County
 
A short discussion concerning home purchases, relaters and title companies have been contacting the county.  Because Oronoco is going forward with the Waste Water Treatment Plant Olmsted county is going to be as lenient as possible concerning septic systems.   
75% are non-compliant or have exceeded the expected life cycle.
26% Imminent threat to public health and safety.
35% Failure to protect ground water.
 
 
Fund rising
One of the committee members and city engineer meet with state representatives and had 25 minutes to present Oronoco's plan to them. Senator Dave Senjem had been talking to the other politicians so thy where familiar with the material.  Jo had sent them information and he felt that many of them had had a chance to look at it before the presentation. Also that thy ask good questions (Questions from the written information that was sent up beforehand). Encouraged that many had read or briefed the information.
 
The senate and house work on different schedules.
The senate is running 10 weeks and is not planning on hearing any bond proposals this year
 
The House is planning on hearing bond proposals this year.
 
Both the House and the Senate did receive copies of the bond proposals.
 
12 month plan
The board was ask what the is the  12 month plan?
1) Take every opportunity to talk to state representatives about Oronoco's needs
2) Have our lobbyist talk to state representatives at every opportunity
3) Keep exploring the possibility of a joint plant with Pine Island. We have a joint meeting every month with Pine Island.
 
Pine island is starting to warm up to the idea of a joint plant.
Pine Island has a developer who has suggested 2 different  properties.
Pine island is not on the same schedule as Oronoco. It is my understanding thy would like to complete some projects before starting work on a new treatment plant. "I think 4 years."
 
Oronoco talked to Rochester once more. Thy quoted the same over inflated price and also said  they would only take current needs. As Oronoco grows we would still need a treatment plant.
 
Note I talked to some one (not related to the Oronoco planning committee) This person told me Rochester would rather not deal with Oronoco so thy just quoted a very high price.
 
And the disclaimer once again.
We had the heater running full speed so with the fan noise I had a hard time hearing every one.  This  made it difficult to take notes.
 
This information is the way I preceded the conversation but may not be 100% accurate. The official meeting notes should be on Oronoco's web page with in a few days.

1 Comment

January Meeting Notes 

2/9/2016

2 Comments

 

I did not make it to the January Meeting.

2 Comments

November Meeting Nots

11/11/2015

3 Comments

 
Important information concerning Decembers meeting.
 
Pleas try to make it to the Decembers meeting.
 
The Water Sewer board is going to ask some of the State Senator to attend the December meeting so thy can present the newest plan to them. State Senator Dave Senjem suggested that we do this. The Idea is that once this is presented in St. Paul the State Senators form this area* will be able to talk it up to the other state senators.
 
* "This Area"
Duan Quam, District 25A Dodge Center
Kim Norton, District 25B
Tina Liebling District 26A
Nels Pierson District 25B
Sounded like 9 representatives all together.
http://olmstedgop.org/wp/?page_id=723
 
 
I have missed the last 2 meetings so I did my best to take notes but missed some things that where quick references to things from past meetings.
 
 
*** In this email when I write " State Senator Dave Senjem said". I am quoting one of the board members. State Senator Dave Senjem was not at Novembers meeting. ***
 
 
 
1st
John Wade from destination Rochester gave a 30 minute talk about how this project is rely starting to envelop the surrounding counties. To keep this email short I am just going to put in a link to their web page.  http://www.raedi.com/
 
2nd
Talked about having 2 or 3 people go to the capital and having short meetings with any of the State Senators who will see them. (Promote the Bonding Initiative) "Plight of a small township facing a Big Project".
 
3rd
I think Oronoco hired a lobbies.
Ronald Jerica
Oronoco is not listed as one of his clients but the web page may not be up to date.
http://www.cfboard.state.mn.us/lobby/lbdetail/lb6769.html
 
 
4th
Their was a "Governors Listening Session" in Rochester.
At this event Oronoco explained that we needed to build a sewer plant.
We only had 5 minutes but this helped bring our project to the attention of the capital.
 
5th
PFA
Public Facilities Authority who are the states bankers.
The PFA dos not like that Oronoco is requesting money from the state Senator and or  bonding program. Any money Oronoco gets is less money available for them.
 
6th
The Olmsted environmental meeting is November 18 at Cascade 2100 bulding. 7:15pm
 
7th
State Senator Dave Senjem mentioned we should word our bonding request in a way that dos not require us to do a joint program with Pine Island.
 
8th
Joint waist water meeting with Pine Island is Monday night. Sounds like only 2 or 3 people from Pine island have been showing up to the meetings and they promised to have more show up on Monday.
 
Pine Island has unofficially mentioned that the sewer plant is not important to them and thy are trying to put energy into fixing their city streets.
 
9th
State Senator Dave Senjem (Quote from Jo) I have not heard anything from my Oronoco constituents except a few phone calls from people who are agents the project.
 
10th
Oronoco Median Income Serve.
We have not receive the needed 80% replies. Oronoco has contacted the residence who have not replied with 3 US post letters. Volunteers are going to go to many of the homes who have not responded and explain the importance of the survey. (Well over 1/4 million in grants for the water project Possibly more for this project). I volunteered to take a section and am going to go door to door  and personally ask residents to fill out the form and anonymously mail them in to the company doing the survey. Any one feel like joining me for nice "fall weather" walk?

3 Comments

July Meeting

7/18/2015

0 Comments

 
July Meeting.

Oronoco sewer treatment plant report

The meeting was short only lasting an hour.

The 1st thing was brought up by Larry Stoulp. How much more will it cost for us to create our own plant verses going in with Pine Island? Jo told him it was in the earlier reports but it would be just shy of a million dollars more to make our own plant.

 

Thy ask about the "compliant time line" Jayne Krause ( I think I have the right person, she is the one who kind of leads the meetings and works with several cities) anyhow she said the report was part of a meeting with the MNPCA and it was in that file and she would send it to the members.

They than talked about Chuck Bradford who heads up Mantorville's side of the Kasson Mantorville sewage treatment plant.  According to Chuck the project finely started rolling when both towns started using  the same engineering firm. Chuck Bradford said that Mantorville is 19% owner of the plant and responsible for 19% of maintenance and repairs.

Larry Stoulp said Kasson is treating Mantorville as if it where a big business hooking in to the Kasson system and I don't want that hear.

Karen Dell (Don't know if I spelled the last name correct) Is retiring from the Pine Island swear / water board, this week.

Pine Islands ?City Clerk? (Sorry did not get the name or exact job title) is Leaving Pine Island and taking a job at an ethanol plant.

No discussion around the two people leaving their post just kind of a FYI announcement.

Pine Island is "Finally" starting to look at the flow volume from Oronoco.

Question from board Can Pine Island take Oronoco's current flow requirements now and for the next three years with their current Plant? Jo Yes, their is a meeting next Monday where Pine Island  will confirm this.

Larry Stulp Pine Island is planning on putting condos in the  downtown this will increase their flow requirements. One of the board members  yes but it may also get Pine Island to start moving the new plant forward.

Future Growth,  Board member: once we offer sewer, Oronoco will grow faster than PI we will have to talk to PI about our flow percentage changing over the next several years.

The intern

(This is a U of M graduate student who is studding how community can work together to develop sewage treatment plants)

Her reports are starting to come in. She noted that even though the basic systems are similar, every community seems to have a different Governance or agreements on how their partnership are set up.

The Intern said that Pine Island is not on any funding list, next May is the earliest they can apply. She suggested that  said Pine Island better get on the ball.

The Intern can not receive a list from the MNPCA as to who the engineer's are, working on joint municipality sewage treatment systems so she is having to call each city office jump threw the voice mail hoops and when she finally talks to the proper person thy give her the name and number of the engineer thy work with. 

Income Survey Form

OK most to the time was spent talking about the Income Survey Form that needs to be sent to every one in sections B, C & F. The Grant application wants 80% of the residence to fill out this survey. Each section will receive a different grant amount based on that sections median house hold income. For the water thy only received 75% of the survey's back and the grant was allowed to slide through. Members of the water / sewer  board had to go door to door to ask residence to fill out survey just to get to the 75%. The surveys are sent to Aaron Wills of the Cannon River Watershed Program and no one in the City council or Water sewer comity will have access to the surveys. It was expressed that the cover letter should explain that this survey will directly impact how much each household will save based on the grant amount.

Is their Money to provide prepaid return envelops? Trisha: "The Water budget is bad because of losses this year".

The Sewer / water comity will ask the City to provide postage paid return envelopes for the survey so thy will be asking for about $250.

Disclaimer: I did the best I could to get the information correct.  The council will provide an office copy of the meeting notes on the Oronoco web page:

http://www.oronoco.com/vertical/sites/%7B0EACF6BF-709F-42E8-AA6B-876F32576E1A%7D/uploads/7-14-2015.pdf


0 Comments

The Sewage Treatment Planning meetings are now on the 2nd Tuesday.

3/3/2015

0 Comments

 
The planning comity moved the day of the meetings to the 2nd Tuesday of the month. This will allow them to bring request to the City Counsel meeting the following week instead of waiting 3 weeks. 
0 Comments

January Updates

1/25/2015

0 Comments

 
Next meeting is Tuesday 27, 6:30

We have a new Face Book Page.
www.facebook.com/OronocoMN
Pleas visit the page add any photos you have enjoying time along the river.
If anyone would like help administer the FaceBook page pleas contact me.
Jeff
Oronocomn@Gmail.com


0 Comments

Important meetings ahead 

12/13/2014

0 Comments

 
Angela did a great job putting together the Novembers Meeting Notes.  Pleas take a moment to read them.
Novembers Meeting notes


Joe is planning to ask the City for permission/funds to look at different locations for the Sewage Treatment Plant and to open discussions with Pine Island about a joint plant.

I think it is important for us to go to the City Council meeting.

I am trying to find out if he is going to do this in December or January's Meeting.

  1. I will update the blog as soon as I find out.

I understand this is a very busy time for all of us.
Pleas understand this is not going to be a fully in-closed sewage treatment plant. It's simply to expensive to build them. The current design is for 6, open reed settling ponds.
0 Comments

Follow up for Octobers Meeting

11/23/2014

0 Comments

 
0 Comments

October's meeting

10/27/2014

0 Comments

 
I just received this from Angela
Tuesday, October 28 at 6:30 p.m.at the Oronoco City Hall.  Senator Dave Senjem and Representative Duane Quam will be joining the meeting to discuss the sewer project and explore possible funding avenues.  Aaron Luckstein from MPCA will also be attending the meeting.

Other agenda items include two other topics for brief updates:

·         The Memorandum of Understanding

·         Facility Plan Response from MPCA

I am attaching the minutes from the September meeting.

******
Insert from Jeff
This is a link to the city's web page that has the September minutes.
If you do not have a current version of Microsoft Word you can open the doumint with Google Docs.
If you need help Google how to use Google docs or call me (612) 867-1229
http://www.oronoco.com/index.asp?SEC=1B64FC52-80E3-4FA4-8C9B-75C9070EB372&DE=91961939-8056-47BE-82A8-6623C7142AA0&

********
Ok back to Angela's  e-mail

I did attend the September City Council meeting as was suggested at the August Water & Sewer meeting, but nothing of any substance was discussed with respect to the wastewater treatment facility.

Thanks so much,

Angela


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    I grew up hear in Oronoco Township, attended school in the building that now serves a the community center. As a kid I would spend my summer days riding my bike around town hanging out at the park and of course climbing allover the bridge and dam.
    Jeff Hovel

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