Posted: 2/25/04
By Barbara Brown
The north branch of the Sunrise River is in desperate need of cleaning, according to the Impaired Waters list released by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Monday night, Jeremy Kalin told the North Branch Council about the report which was presented to him and others environmentally concerned residents at a meeting last week.
Kalin said the state will be passing down a federal mandate calling for efforts to clean up the waterways in the state.
The Sunrise, flowing through which inspectors found fecal coliform bacteria, is one of three bodies of water in the state on the impaired list, Kalin said.
Fecal coliform bacteria in water means the water has been contaminated with the fecal matter of man or other animals. The most common member of the group is E-coli.
Kalin said the Sunrise could be moved up on the list to receive part of $600 million to $3 billion over the coming 10 years if the city and county make an effort to get started on clean-up now.
ìThat doesnít mean we have to spend any money,î Kalin said. ìWe could start a committee and call for meetings to get the process going.î
Kalin suggested that the city start a committee that would talk to the Minnesota Environmental Coalition about the PCAís concerns on the river.
He also suggested getting together with PCA members to talk about mitigation options and ìgreenî environmentally friendly businesses and how North Branch, the state and the environment could benefit.
ìIf we can win the race to state to clean up, we could actually get a reputation in Chisago County as a place that cares for its environment and tap into this $94 million a year environmental tourism,î Kalin said.
The council also voted 2-1 to approve adopting the planning principles of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF).
City Finance Director Dave Stutelberg said adopting the principles ñ ìBuilding Better Neighborhoods Standardsî ñ does not obligate the city to the GMHF, but allows the city to work with them to determine how the fund could help North Branch.
The council voted last year to explore options to building better mixed-income and affordable housing neighborhoods.
The GMHF contacted the city recently and asked if the city was still interested in working with the fund on housing options, Stutelberg said.
He said the fund group has indicated it has up to $80,000 to help in planning and technical support and $1 million in short-term financing for land purchase.
The council accepted a bid from F.M. Frattalone Excavating and Grading for $1.8 million to loop water main from Wood Duck Ponds to the water main at Hemingway Ave., north of CR 14. The project also would provide sanitary sewer service along Hemingway Ave. The council refused to accept the original bids last year because they were significantly higher than the engineerís original estimate of $1.8 million.
This year, engineering firm WSB and Associates estimated the revised project plan at $2.4 million, but the low bid came in at $1.8 million.
Other business:
ï The city also will buy a skid steer and an industrial-sized broom for the Public Works Department for $6,896.31. The items were budgeted at $6,900.
ï The city-owned parking lot between the American Legion and the North Branch Post Office will get a face lift this summer. The council voted to award a bid of $57,203 to Bauerly Bros. for the work, which had been originally estimated at $80,000. Construction will begin after Midsummer Days.
ï The Minnesota Department of Transportation will allot $419,590 to the city for maintenance of state aid roadways.
ï First National Bank will hold the cityís 2004 equipment certificate for a total of principal and interest of $274,275.92. Community National Bank was the only other bidder at $276,378.98.
ï The council set the Board of Review hearing for April 20 at 7 p.m. in the Chisago County Government Center for anyone who objects to the assessed valuation of their property.
ï The council voted to order an alternative urban areawide review for the NB Development Area. In the past few months, the cityís engineering firm has collected information to prepare the report. Cost is about $74,000. The report will outline the best options for the city to develop nearly 400 acres on the west side of CR 30 between 410th Street, I-35 north and Aztec Trail. The four options WSB was asked to examine are: do nothing, create a plan for 337 acres industrial land and 56 acres residential; create 300 acres industrial, a total of 79 acres residential and 14 acres commercial; or 222 acres industrial, 106 acres residential and 65 acres commercial.
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