ADMINISTRATION - Jim Hafner, Stormwater Manager
Title
AUTHORIZE PARTICIPATION IN COST SHARE GRANT FROM THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR WELLHEAD PROTECTION IMPLEMENTATION
Background
In 1997, the City of Blaine, along with nine other Anoka County cities, entered into a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with Anoka County for the specific purpose of preparing Wellhead Protection Plans to protect community water supplies. In 2010, the cities renewed the JPA with the County for the purpose of implementing the wellhead plans and sharing costs on various joint activities.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) administers grant programs making Clean Water Legacy funds available for wellhead protection implementation projects. The City of Blaine has obtained and completed two of these grants over the past three years. Anoka County Environmental Services, on behalf of the JPA group, has obtained approval for a new cost share grant from the MDH. Four cities are named as grantees. They are Blaine, Circle Pines, Lexington and Lino Lakes. This grant provides $30,000 for well sealing with a 50% match of $30,000 from the grantees. The cities 50% match comes from the share of the well sealing paid by the homeowners who have been approved to have the work completed. For example, Homeowner A completes a well sealing at the cost of $800. They submit the agreed upon documentation and the city reimburses 50% of the cost or $400 in this case. At the end of the grant, the city submits documentation for all the reimbursements and is reimbursed for that total amount. The homeowner has paid 50% and the MDH grant has paid the other 50% of the total cost of sealing the well.
The MDH requires there be one primary grantee named on the grant. Anoka County has asked that Blaine agree to be the primary grantee. A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed by the other cities, to be administered by the County, agreeing to be secondary grantees and cooperating to comply with the terms of the grant. Each city will have a share of the $30,000 to use in their city. The beginning date of the grant is projected to be December 15, 2014 or as soon thereafter as all the signatures are obtained. Completion must be no later than April 30, 2016.
Recommendation
By motion, approve the resolution.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Blaine has an obligation to protect drinking water source areas within the city and has completed a Wellhead Protection Plan to comply with that obligation; and
WHEREAS, the City has entered into a Joint Powers Agreement with other cities in Anoka County to jointly accomplish some of the implementation tasks; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Health has made available Clean Water Legacy Funds, through a grant program, to offset some of the costs of wellhead protection implementation projects.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council of the City of Blaine as follows:
1. Council authorizes the City to accept the role of Primary Grantee for a Cost Share Grant from the Minnesota Department of Health, using Clean Water Legacy funds, which grant will be administered by Anoka County Environmental Services.
2. Council further authorizes the City to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the cities of Circle Pines, Lexington and Lino Lakes who will be secondary grantees under this Cost Share grant.
PASSED by the City Council of the City of Blaine this 4th day of December, 2014.