9.e) Staff Report-WC SSTS contractSCANDIA
Staff RepoVt
Date of Meeting: November 18, 2014
To: City Council
From: Kristina Handt, City Administrator
Re: Subsurface Sewage Treatment System Inspection Services
Background:
The City of Scandia has been contracting with Washington County to provide septic system
permitting and inspection services for a number of years. The current contract will expire on
December 31, 2013. In 2012 the Council decided to just extend the contract for one year and
there was discussion of the possibility of bringing this service in house. Then in 2013 the
contract was approved for another year.
Issue:
Does the City want to continue contracting with Washington County for these services? If so, is
the proposed contract acceptable?
Proposal Details:
A copy of the new contract is included in your packet. As stated in the cover letter, the only
change from last year's contract is the date. The new contract would cover the next two years
and expire on December 31, 2016.
Last year I met with Amanda Strommer and Pete Ganzel from Washington County Department
of Public Health and Environment to learn more about the Subsurface Sewage Treatment System
(SSTS) Inspection Program. Included in your packet is a memo from Amanda that summarizes
the items we discussed. She also shared with me that nearly every community in the county has
a similar agreement with Washington County to do these inspections. The only exception being
Stillwater and Dellwood. Part of the reason for this is because each new application can require
multiple site inspections, in addition compliance inspections are required when property is sold,
the City would have to adopt their own ordinance that is as restrictive as the county's, the city
would be required to track and notify citizens of their tank pumping and maintenance
requirements, issue and track operating permits and make annual reports to the MPCA and Met
Council.
Given all of these requirements and additional duties that staff would have to carry out in
addition to the extra training, staff is recommending the City continue to contract with
Washington County for SSTS Inspection Services. The expense of training and additional staff to
complete these requirements will outweigh the fees collected (assuming the fees currently
adopted by the County are used).
Options:
1) Approve the contract as drafter
2) Amend and then approve the contract
3) Do not approve a new contract
Recommendation:
Option 1.