City Council backs coalition on wastewater

The Glencoe City Council approved a request for fees from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities in order to create a wastewater legal and regulatory program.
The City Council met Monday night.
The coalition requested about $2,000 from Glencoe. The funds provided by Glencoe would be used solely for this program.
The program will work to challenge the new requirements from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for water quality. The new mandates will be unfunded and the responsibility of individual cities.
Public Works Director Gary Schreifels said the wastewater department recommends approval.
Mayor Randy Wilson, who is a member of the coalition board, said he was in favor of the city supporting the program. He said if the city and other affected communities do nothing, they could pay the price. He said the standards could take millions of dollars to meet and still not reduce anything.
Wilson said the program will team up with other communities and advocacy groups.
The motion carried 5-0.

For more from Monday night's meeting, see the Dec. 9 print edition of The Chronicle.