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Whether the bulk of that cost is shouldered by Goodview taxpayers may not be known until September.
“We’re just hoping Washington comes through in some form,” said Mayor Jack Weimerskirch at a Monday night council meeting. “If they don’t come through, we’ll have to throw away money to address something that’s not a problem.”
Radium levels in Goodview’s water exceed standards established the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act. Under pressure from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, city officials are obligated to begin water treatment to reduce radium levels by July 2009.
Meeting that deadline would require construction of the facility to begin by March 2008, according to city administrator Dan Matejka.
But one of the project’s two proposed federal funding streams went out the window this week, when a $2.2 million appropriations request by Rep. Tim Walz was pronounced dead.
That leaves Goodview’s hopes in the hands of Sens. Norm Coleman and Amy Klobuchar, who are backing a $3 million appropriation request now being deliberated by the U.S. Senate.
“The eggs appear to be in one basket right now,” observed council member Bruce Brinkman.
Without federal help, officials say significant water rate increases would be unavoidable, just months after the city increased its 2007 rates.
The council on Monday night reviewed a preliminary design for the facility, tentatively slated to be built on Fifth Street near City Hall.
Though the plans are now only in the conceptual stage, Director of Public Works Greg Volkart said the project could be bid out as early as January 2008.
“Time is of the essence,” Volkart said. “We’re starting to feel the crunch already.”
? wrote on Jul 3, 2007 6:17 PM: