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.

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