By Clark Natalie

The Harris City Council meeting opened early Tuesday, Aug. 29 night with a workshop on the funding of the Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). It gave the council time to be brought up to speed on how the debt on the WWTF will be repaid and to ask questions concerning the funding. A representative from Ehlers and Associates was present.

A list of frequently asked questions was on hand, and this was the basis of the meeting. One of the major concerns to the council and those in attendance was the cost to the residents of Harris.

It was pointed out that no taxes will be assessed against the residents of Harris, and only those people in a R-1 zoning who are on the system will pay for it.

Because of the funding through Public Facilities Authority (PFA), the city has an interest rate of 1 percent. Also, the interest and payments do not begin until six months after the WWTF is in operation.

These opportunities allow the charges to the Harris residents to go up gradually. There will be incremental increases from the $12 per month now charged to $34 by 2012. If the project growth in Harris materializes, this would be the highest the monthly rate would go, it was explained.

The costs will be kept down by the projected growth. New development will be a main factor in repaying the $4.5 million cost of the WWTF. To meet the projections laid out, Harris would have to add 15 new household equivalents each year.

At the present time, there is a development, Highlands of Harris, with 109 projected units.

The developer, and all future developers in Harris, will have to pay an area charge, based on $1,000 per acre developed. This will increase in 2007 to $1,700 per acre.

There will also be a sewer access charge and water access charge to each house that is built.

Councilman Wayne Buisman wanted to know what the cost of hooking up to North Branch now compares to the WWTF at its present cost. At the time North Branch proposed the agreement to Harris to connect to their system, the cost was approximately $5.5 million, it was noted. This cost was not only for the pipes and equipment necessary to connect to the North Branch system, but also for the sewer access charges and water access charges that present users would have had to pay to North Branch.

It was also pointed out that North Branch would not agree to a Joint Powers Agreement, which would mean Harris would have lost all control over the system.

After the workshop, the council moved into their agenda. Mayor Rick Smisson had City Attorney Pete Grundhoefer address the council concerning the dirt track owned and operated by Marvin Stai. One of the issues that the neighbors of the track have is with the noise. Grundhoefer said that his research indicted that noise standards are set by Minnesota statute. The city can adopt ordinances that are less strict but not more. Also, to enforce a noise ordinance, specific guidelines and procedures must be followed.

The levels that are allowed are based on classification. A household unit, which includes farms, is measured in decibels. During the daytime, two levels limit the noise. The first is a 60 decibel L50. This means that measured in an hour, noise can not exceed 60 decibels for half the time. The second level could be 65 decibel 10 percent. Which means that during 10 percent of an hour, decibels can not exceed 65 decibels for 10 percent of the time.

During the night, the decibel levels drop, but are measured in the same manor.

The measurements can be taken by anyone. Certification is not required. But how the measurements are taken is specific.

They must be measured at the closest human position. As relates to the dirt track, this would be at the neighbors property line, as that would be the closest they could be.

The measuring device has to be calibrated and certified. It has to be at three feet from the ground.

Grundhoefer said that unless the measurements are taken by a disinterested third party, the City would open themselves to lawsuits from either side.

Neighbors unhappy

Earlier, during the public comment portion of the meeting, some of the neighbors to the track had displayed their objections to how the track continued to be run, noting that the owner had not met the mediated guidelines that had been worked out. The owner, Marvin Stai, was on hand. He expressed that the benefit that had been held went without a hitch. Time and numbers were limited on the track. The time limits that were agreed to were kept. An extra 45 minutes was used to close the track and water it down to make sure the dust was under control. No alcohol was allowed on the property. Stai said that he would like to see this issue resolved. The mediation was expensive and did not provide adequate results for either himself or the neighbors. If necessary, Stai would be willing to turn it over to attorneys to settle the land usage rights.

Much of the rest of the meeting was devoted to the Water Treatment Plant (WTP) and the WWTF. The Council approved the funding for the WTP through the PFA and agreed to a $1,333,450 general obligation water revenue note, providing for the bond purchase and project loan through the PFA. This agreement is a standard extract for the type of funding through the PFA and a bond purchase.

The Council also reviewed the plans and specifications for the WWTF. City Engineer Chuck Schwartz of Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik
& Associates went over the changes in the design to keep the cost down, but not affect
quality of production. The WWTF will be built in a phased approach. Those items left off the original plans can be added at a later date when more users are on the system to support it. A pretreatment building has been eliminated and Bar Screens will now be used. Two Sequencing Batch Reactors (SBR) will be built, but one will have curtain in it and be used for sludge storage. When needed, the second tank can be converted to use as a SBR and sludge storage added. The final process will be an ultraviolet disinfecting unit. This unit will be outside instead of in a building. This is very common and the only effect it will have is in maintenance and repairs.

The plans and specifications were accepted. A schedule for advertisement for bids on the WWTF was agreed to. Schwartz indicated that it was a good time to let bids as there appeared to be great interest in the projects. The project will be advertised in local papers and also the construction bulletin. Many local contractors will be able to bid with the general contractors for part of the project.

Compensation denied

During the reports, Grundhoefer told the Council that the unemployment compensation request by the former clerk had been denied.

Mike Kriz, maintenance supervisor, said that a fire hydrant on Grand Ave and County 9 needed to be replaced. The contractor, Gustafson, who had originally bid on the project offered to do the work for the price bid two years ago. The council was quick to accept this offer, as the replacement needs to be done and the price was very advantageous.

Kriz also proposed a joint work agreement with Sunrise. Ginger Ave needs to be crack sealed. Sunrise also has a similar stretch of road that needs the same process. Sunrise has the equipment but not enough manpower. Kriz offered to provide his manpower to help Sunrise. In turn Sunrise will provide the equipment to do Ginger Ave. The only cost for both parties would be the cost of materials. This also was agreed to by the council.

The council also agreed to have an independent auditor review the water utility billing. This will allow the city to correctly bill those users who have not paid past due bills.