Item 7 - Action MWMC Fac. Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

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RESPONSE: Please see responses to Mayor Torrey's questions on this subject. Phil Barnhart, 182 Sunset Drive, State Representative for House District 11, spoke in support of Coburg position on the issue of the potential expansion of the MWMC to include them. He called Coburg an "economic engine" for the area with people moving back and forth over the "artificial boundaries" created by government all of the time. He urged the City Councils of Eugene and Springfield and the Lane County Board of Commissioners to consider an expansion, over the course of this project, to include the City of Coburg. He felt a pipeline between Coburg and Eugene would not be a difficult undertaking and would ultimately provide cost savings. RESPONSE: Please see responses to Mayor Torrey's questions on this subject. Diana Abernathey, 2620 Oak Street, expressed appreciation for the councilors service to the community. She averred there may not be adequate protection of the water quality of the Willamette River. She urged support for the plan before the council. She said a great deal of money had already been spent in determining technical options, costing them out, and selecting the best of them. She called the process efficient and effective and said the staff members, with input from citizen advisors, had selected the least cost alternative that would meet the new federal guide lines. She commented that, while some complain of the high cost of the proposed infrastructure, the health of the river was priceless. She said it was shocking to consider that the City would plan to violate the discharge permit and pay the fines. She called this "highly irresponsible stewardship." She stated that, due to a history of effective and forward thinking planning of infrastructure, the current SDC rates were among the lowest in the State. She underscored that the best plan had been identified and any "foot- dragging" would only result in a greater cost to the public. RESPONSE: The intergovernmental agreement establishing the MWMC expressly requires the MWMC to "Comply with state and federal standards." The 2004 MWMC Facilities Plan and 20-Year Project List are intended to maintain compliance with all applicable state and federal standards, the MWMC has not ever planned to violate the discharge permit and pay fines. Steve Greenwood, 2169 Essex Lane, introduced himself as a former State regulator and a member of the Willamette Restoration Initiative Board of Directors and a public policy consultant. He echoed the last speaker's sentiments and underscored that all of the effluent eventually went into the river. He stated that much of the Willamette River had very poor quality as defined by DEQ standards, with some areas of the main stem violating the levels for temperature, bacteria, and mercury levels. He stated that significant regulatory changes had taken place since 1977 and it was time to update the Facilities Plan. Regarding the cost, he agreed that $144 million sounded like a lot of money, but emphasized that it was in line with what other communities were spending. He added that, as a professional in the field, he found the staff and organization of the MWMC was one that tried to reduce their costs as much as possible. Camilla Pratt, 120 Westbrook Way, explained that she had served on a citizens advisory committee for the Wet Weather Flow Management Plan for two years. She related that the committee had studied many aspects of the plan and, in addition to meeting the requirements of State and Federal agencies, the committee was concerned with the fairness of the plan, including its ability to be understood by various customer classes and its ability to be administered effectively. She stated that the plan, completed in 2001, had been adopted by the MWMC and the Cities of Eugene and Springfield. Since then, she said several more years of careful investigation and analysis had been invested in other aspects of the MWMC Facilities Plan and 20-Year Project List. She called it the obligation and responsibility of Eugene to ensure a high quality water resource for the needs of all downstream users. Larry Gunn, 32555 Beymer Road, spoke in support of the MWMC Facilities Plan. He opined that the cost seemed reasonable and that it seemed the time was right for the Council to endorse the plan. He recommended doing the work now and not in the future when it would cost more.