Item 3D: Transfer of Water Pollution Control Facility to MWMC

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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY c Transfer of Water Pollution Control Facility Property from the City of Eugene to the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Meeting Date: June 26, 2006 Department: Public Works Wastewater www.eugene-or.gov Agenda Item Number: 3D Staff Contact: Peter Ruffier Contact Telephone Number: 682-8606 ISSUE STATEMENT The City Council is requested to approve the transfer of95.56 acres of City-titled property to the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission. BACKGROUND The City of Eugene, City of Springfield, and Lane County entered into an agreement in 1977 for the purposes of establishing the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC). The MWMC was established as an intergovernmental entity to "construct, operate, and maintain the Regional Sewerage Facilities." MWMC provides regional wastewater collection and treatment to the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area. The Regional Sewerage Facilities are located on the site of the original wastewater treatment plant owned by the City of Eugene. Additional acreage was required for the construction of the MWMC facilities, and these properties were procured by the City of Eugene using regional wastewater funds under agreement with the MWMC. During the procurement process, title to the property obtained for the regional wastewater facilities vested in the City of Eugene. The titles to the original wastewater treatment plant property and the additional purchased parcels within the boundaries of the current Eugene/Springfield Regional Water Pollution Control Facility have never been formally transferred to the MWMC, which is the equitable owner of the site, as evidenced by the history and funding of its acquisition and the funding of the facility and as recognized in the intergovernmental agreement (IGA) approved by the cities and Lane County last year. In May 2005, the council, by ordinance, approved a revised IGA creating the MWMC as an Intergovernmental Entity and defining the duties and powers of the commission and the three parties to the IGA. The revised IGA provides, in Section 3(b), that the parties will: "Facilitate the completion of the process of transferring ownership to the Commission of the Existing Sewerage Facilities as defined in Appendix "A" Section VI. The transfer of ownership process shall proceed in a timely manner as determined by the mutual agreement of the Commission and the Cities of Eugene and Springfield. The transfer of ownership shall include consideration of the following factors: 1. Original source of the funds for acquisitions, construction, maintenance, equipment replacement, and major rehabilitation; and LICMOl2006 Council Agendas1M0606261S0606263D.doc