7.b)1) Staff Report-Wastewater Advisory Committee Membership (. ��
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SCANDIA
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: September 17, 2013
To: City Council
From: Kristina Handt, City Administrator
Re: Wastewater Advisory Committee Membership
Agenda Item #: 7.b)1)
Background:
In 2012 ten people (2 Council members, 1 Planning Commission member, and 7 citizen
representatives) were appointed to the newly created Wastewater Advisory Committee. The
length of their appointments were not noted. The Wastewater Advisory Committee is charged
with advising the Scandia City Council on matters regarding the city's "201" and "Uptown"
wastewater systems including long- and short-range planning for operations, maintenance,
improvement, expansion and financing. When initially proposed the committee would be
comprised of a couple Council members, 1-2 Citizens with technical expertise related to medium
or large size SSTS, 1-2 representatives from each the 201 and Uptown Systems and a Planning
Commission members.
Over the past year, the committee has been unable to hold almost one-third of its meetings due to
a lack of a quorum. With the current membership six members must be present for a quorum. At
the August 28, 2013 meeting, the committee is recommending the membership be reduced to 7
members-one Council member and two representatives from each system (Bliss,
Anderson/Erickson and Uptown).
Issue:
Should the Wastewater Advisory Committee membership be reduced?
Proposal Details:
The Council and all other City committees (Planning Commission, Parks and Rec, EDA) are
comprised of five member boards. In addition to the five citizens on the Planning Commission
and Parks and Rec Committee a non-voting Council liaison is appointed each year. Given that
these boards function with five members and are representing the interest of nearly 4,000
residents, it is difficult to understand why twice as many people are needed to represent less than
a couple hundred on the Wastewater Advisory Committee.
The Wastewater Advisory Committee recommends the following people be appointed for the
following terms ending February 1 st:
Brad Bergo-five year term (expires February 1, 2018)
Holly Kaufold-five year term (expires February l, 2018)
Dan Cartier-four year term (expires February 1, 20l 7)
Doug Salmela-three year term (expires February l, 2016)
Wayne Schmidt-two yearterm (expires February l, 2015)
Chris Ness (as A/E Rep)-one year term (expires February l, 2014)
Jim Schneider(as Council rep)-concurrent with term on Council
The initial terms would be staggered but upon reappointment or the appointment of a
replacement, there would be five year terms for everyone.
James "Moose" Malmquist and Michael Peterson would no longer serve on the committee. Over
the last year or so they have attend one or two meetings respectively.
I've discussed the issue of having a Planning Commission member represented on the committee
with the City Attorney. He has advised that the Wastewater Committee should not be making
any Planning Commission decisions and therefore a Planning Commission member is not
needed. Matters of zoning and land development are the purview of the Planning Commission.
If a development application that is received requires the review of both the Planning
Commission and Wastewater Advisory Committee each committee will review the application as
appropriate and make recommendations to the Council. The Continenza case is the most recent
example of this happening and that process seemed to work well, especially now that the
Wastewater Committee has developed policies regarding connections.
The City Attorney was also consulted about appointing alternates and he advised against it.
Options:
1) Approve the appointments to the Wastewater Advisory Committee as noted above
2) Make other appointments to the Wastewater Advisory Committee
3) Make no change in the current appointments to the Wastewater Advisory Committee
Recommendation:
Option. 1)