Member Login
Search

Metro Cities News 7/14/23

by: Jennifer Dorn
Category: Newsletter
Jul
14

 

In This Issue:

 

2023 Policy Committees Start in July

Metro Cities 2023 policy committee meetings will begin the week of July 24th. If you have not yet signed up and would like to participate, information and schedules are on Metro Cities’ website. Participation is open to member city officials and staff.

Committees will be chaired this year by Heather Butkowski-City Administrator, Lauderdale (Housing and Economic Development), Mike Thompson-Public Works Director, Plymouth (Transportation and General Government), Gary Hansen-Councilmember, Eagan (Metropolitan Agencies) and Dana Hardie-City Manager, Victoria (Municipal Revenues).

Please be sure to sign up for the committee(s) in which you would like to participate. We look forward to seeing you!

 

State Revenue and Economic Update

The Office of MN Management and Budget (MMB) released a revenue update that shows net general fund receipts for FY 2023 are estimated to be $529 million, or 1.8% above what was projected in the February 2023 budget forecast. Net income, corporate, and other receipts were above forecast, while net sales receipts were below the forecast. The update notes that the outlook for national GDP growth in 2023 is expected to be stronger than what was anticipated in the February forecast, while forecasts for growth for 2024 and 2025 are predicted to be lower. Click HERE for the full update.

 

Private Property Inflow Infiltration Task Force Recommendations

A Private Property Inflow and Infiltration Task Force met this spring to consider recommendations for a private property inflow-infiltration (I/I) program using a portion of municipal wastewater charge (MWC) revenues. Metro Cities staff, along with 16 cities, participated on the task force. The recommendations of the task force were presented to the Metropolitan Council’s Environment Committee this week.

Metro Cities has participated in past task forces on I/I and has secured funding through capital investment bills for funding to metropolitan cities for mitigation on local public systems. A previous private property I/I task force outlined the need for additional strategies to address private property I/I, which makes up a significant portion of the I/I issue. The Metropolitan Council secured authority from the Legislature last year to use revenues from the MWC for this purpose.

The task force made several recommendations. These include allowing eligibility for cities exceeding their I/I goal or that are within a 20% threshold of their goal, and to have grant amounts be up to 50% of eligible costs up to $5,000 or grants up to $10,000 for those meeting local municipality equity criteria.

Eligible work would include private lateral repair and/or replacement, foundation drain disconnections, lateral televising and cleaning costs if the applicant meets the equity need of the participating municipality, or televising and cleaning result in repair or replacement of the sewer lateral. The task force determined that equity needs should be considered, and should be addressed by the local community, as communities are in the best position to address specific needs.

It is expected that funding from the PAYGO fund in the MWC will be used to fund the grant program. Metropolitan Council staff anticipates $1 million in funding will be available in the first year of the program. An average repair cost is assumed to be around $8,000. If the program is successful, the Council is expected to seek ways to increase the amount of grant funding.

The Environment Committee recommended that staff proceed with the recommendations. Next steps include consideration and approval of the recommendations by the Metropolitan Council, and a public hearing. Metro Cities will provide further updates and information. Please click HERE for the full report. Questions? Contact Patricia Nauman at 651-215-4002 or [email protected].

 

Metropolitan Council Greenhouse Gas Strategy Planning Tool

Staff from the Metropolitan Council presented information at Wednesday’s Council meeting on their Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the development of a greenhouse gas strategy planning tool.

The grant from the federal government has three objectives:

  1. Encourage states, air agencies, municipalities, and Tribes to work together to create comprehensive pathways for reducing pollution and ensuring that investments maximize benefits, especially for low-income and disadvantaged communities.
  2. Provide state, local, and Tribal partners with flexible planning resources to assess and prepare to deploy resources to develop new state and local laws and policies to maximize emission reduction.
  3. Drive transformative and scalable decarbonization efforts in key sectors by enacting innovative policies and programs that can scale across jurisdictions.

The greenhouse gas strategy planning tool is an analytical model that quantifies how specific strategies may reduce future greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 2018 levels) at the local level. The tool is intended to help local governments better understand what actions they should take to reduce emissions. The tool can inform the development of climate action plans as well as local, data-based decision making. The Council hopes that by developing this tool, local governments can spend more time and resources on engagement, outreach, and implementation rather than technical analysis.

This work by the Council is especially timely given recent statutory changes contained in HF 2887/SF 3157 (Chapter 68), which requires the Metropolitan Council to include climate mitigation and adaptation content in their regional development guide including goals and strategies that meet or exceed the greenhouse gas emissions-reduction goals established by the state and transportation targets established by MnDOT. The Council is directed to work with cities on how that content will be incorporated into local comprehensive plans.

Click HERE to view the full presentation from Council staff on their GHG strategy planning tool. Click HERE to explore the tool itself on the Metropolitan Council’s website.

Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.


MCES Wastewater Rates Adopted by Environment Committee

On Tuesday, Ned Smith (Director of Pretreatment and Finance at MCES) presented the proposed 2024 wastewater rates and charges for the Environment Committee. The discussion covered information on the rate setting schedule, Council-hosted engagement efforts, and other MCES budget insights including a peer comparison placing MCES among other metropolitan areas in the nation.

The proposed budget includes a wastewater charge increase of 6.8%, no increase for sewer availability charges (SAC), and an average increase of 6.8% for industrial permit fees. The Metropolitan Council held virtual customer forums on May 25 and June 8 to discuss the proposed budget with municipalities. The webinars saw attendance from 45 different communities. This action item will be before the full Metropolitan Council on July 26. The preliminary operating budget adoption is scheduled to take place on August 23. Click HERE to view the full presentation from Tuesday’s meeting.

Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.


Transportation and Water Supply Plan Updates

Staff updates were provided to the Metropolitan Council’s Transportation and Environment committees this week regarding ongoing efforts to update regional plans.

Metropolitan Transportation Services staff gave committee members an update on work being done to develop the 2050 Transportation Policy Plan. The presentation materials include major themes coming out of engagement efforts with regional stakeholders. Some identified themes include safety and security, climate mitigation, and equity. This work is heavily informed by the 2050 TPP Technical Working Group and the 2050 TPP Advisory Work Group. Both groups have city representation. The 2050 objectives presented to Transportation committee members will continue to be refined throughout the Summer. This Fall, work on policies and actions for the plan will be restarted with a focus on these objectives. Work on performance measures will begin in August and continue into early 2024. Click HERE to view the slides from this week’s Transportation committee and HERE to view Draft 2050 Transportation Policy Plan Objectives.

Water Resources staff presented information on the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Plan, plans for subregional engagement, and draft content from chapters one and two of the plan. Using input from Council staff and Environment committee members, staff will begin to revise the draft content presented at Tuesday’s meeting. Summer engagement efforts are planned to support subregional chapters in the plan. MAWSAC and the Technical Advisory Committee will continue to offer their feedback on water policy development activities and associated projects. This work will culminate in the eventual adoption of the Metropolitan Area Water Supply Plan. Click HERE to view the slides from this week’s Environment committee.

Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.

 

MPCA Webinar on PFAS Treatment

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is hosting a webinar on PFAS treatment and destruction costs for municipal wastewater and landfill leachate on Wednesday, July 26th, from 2:00PM to 3:00PM. The webinar will cover technologies capable of treating and destroying PFAS in wastewater and landfill leachate, cost estimates for those technologies, and the MPCA’s pollution prevention strategies. Attendees will also hear about the results of a study commissioned by the MPCA on PFAS treatment and destruction. Click HERE to register for this webinar.

Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.

 

Newly Funded Housing and Urban Development Program

The Green and Resilient Retrofit Program (GRRP) is a program funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act, and provides owners of HUD-assisted multifamily housing with capital resources to reduce carbon emissions, make utility efficiency improvements, incorporate renewable energy sources, and make properties more resilient against the effects of climate hazards. Eligible owners include owners receiving HUD rental assistance under Section 8 project-based rental assistance, Section 202 supportive housing for low-income elderly, and Section 811 housing for low-income persons with disabilities. There are three paths of funding available to meet the needs of properties at all stages of development. Visit HERE to learn more about the program.

If you have any questions, please contact Ania McDonnell at [email protected].

 

Share this post: