Item 7 - Action MWMC Fac. Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

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June 10, 2004; · The contractual agreement between the MWMC and CH2M Hill, consultant technical services to the update of the MWMC facilities plan and predesign work necessary to upgrade certain aspects of the regional wastewater facilities, project PS0010, as amended by MWMC on October 27, 2003, to include a Wastewater System Development Charge Methodology Update. Mr. Ruffler noted that the Board of Commissioners held the record open until June 16 at 5 p.m., and he encouraged the City Council to do the same. In response to a question from Councilor Kelly, Mayor Torrey stated that, given the time, there would likely be no time for the Council to respond to testimony. Councilor Kelly asked how council questions would be addressed. Mr. Taylor suggested the councilors submit questions by email, with copies to all councilors, and staff would answer the questions also providing copies to all councilors. Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. Anne Ballew, 225 5th Street, Springfield, chairperson of the MWMC, said there was a need for a new facilities plan as it was 27 years old and the facility itself was 20 years old. The commission, made up of elected and appointed citizens from the cities of Springfield and Eugene and from Lane County, saw a need to evaluate the entire plan. She related that the commission's consultant, CH2M Hill, and staffhad worked diligently over a one-year period to produce the plan, designed to meet new national pollution discharge elimination system requirements. She noted the new elements the facility was required to address, the ammonia, the temperature of effluent in the warmer part of the year, and a status quo on discharged solid waste. Additionally, she said the plan had to improve the ability to handle stream flow increases in wet weather periods and accommodate future population increases and possible businesses that would settle here. Ms. Ballew reported that numerous opportunities for public involvement had been provided. She stated that the commission had spent many hours reviewing the document before the council. She recommended the council adopt the Facilities Plan and 20- Year Project List. Walt Myer, 3987 Brae Burn Drive, citizen appointee to the MWMC and Eugene resident, stated that the City had a responsibility to plan, build, and operate wastewater treatment facilities so that wastewater discharged into the river was clean and protected the river. He asserted the Facilities Plan laid out such a plan. He shared that he worked for an environmental engineering firm that worked on facilities plans for Portland, Clean Water Services, Clackamas County, Salem, Albany, Medford, Grants Pass, and others. He assured the council that the plan before it was the right plan and met important goals. He said it would allow the City to protect the water quality of the river and would plan for growth so we can move ahead in this community. He underscored that the plan maximized existing investment as many of the improxements were retrofits and fixes of facilities. He urged support for the plan. Charles Biggs, 540 Antelope Way, expressed uncertainty as to whether this was the right plan for the area. He indicated he had received notice and attended the first evening workshop and was able to ask questions and receive informational handouts from the session. He related that the public hearings were held at 7:30 a.m. and were not well attended. He felt this hampered public input. Mr. Biggs thought the gravel facility north of Beltline Road, rumored to be closing, could be utilized as a bio-swale which would reduce the temperature and act as another filter. He said that the lagoon at the cannery waste site should be considered as a possibility to assist in meeting future needs. He recommended the council oppose the plan. RESPONSE: When Mr. Biggs attended the first evening workshop, he was added to the interested parties list. He received direct-mailed notices of additional evening and morning sessions the MWMC conveyed to review the plan. Additionally, the MWMC public hearing record, which opened on April 22, was left open until the second hearing on May 6, to provide ample opportunity for the public to provide oral or written testimony. This information was published in the paper and provided to the members of the interested parties list.