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Is a bird in the hand really worth two in the bush, or in this case, the reeds?   For the Chisago Lakes Joint Sewage Treatment Commission the answer, after lengthy discussion about using a trusted engineering firm versus somebody new, was yes.

The commission voted to stay with Stantec consulting engineers and proceed on putting together a bid package for removal of the first of five basins at the treatment plant;  that have accumulated settled biosolids or sludge for years and must be cleaned out.  

Stantec is going to lead the commission at least to the point of bid award implementing removal and inspection tasks.

CLJSTC Commissioner Jeremy Dresel brought up  his desire for separating the duties a little bit. He questioned if the same company that develops the project and its specifications and who works alongside the plant private operator, should oversee the actual future contract.  Stantec is estimating its services at $20,000 for budgeting impact purposes, and commissioners also were interested in seeing if this bill can be reduced.  

The company hired to run the five-city sewer plant, Veolia,  works in concert with Stantec, and the two have already outlined what’s needed to abate the ponds,  running up a bill of $10,000 worth of work.  Stantec’s Daryl Kirschenman observed that the commission would get only slightly lowered quotes compared to Stantec,  and competitors would already have a completed project schedule and tasks identified.

This is a big undertaking with sludge alone at 3,500 cubic yards. 

Trucks will need to dispose of product at approved landfills, which are few and far between.  

There could be replacement of rock and sand below the sludge but the extent of contaminated materials won’t be known until contractors get in there.

Wyoming City Administrator Robb Linwood commented that once requests for proposals are packaged and sent out, plus city staff administers the responses and reviews are compared— the commission will probably have consumed whatever “savings” might have been possible.

Each pond harbors large stands of invasive phragmites, an aquatic species that is not native to Minnesota and a habitat nuisance. In Chisago County water quality groups like the Lake Improvement District, in partnership with conservation organizations,  have been battling phragmites here for over 10 years but the sewer treatment plant infestations always seemed an insurmountable project.  

The commission was advised reed removal and each basin replacement could run from $165,000 to $300,000 including disposal of the controlled sludge substance.  

Administrator Linwood added that if the commission supports  seeking an independent engineering consultant — it could easily stretch the bids out to July.  It’s possible the first phase of removal would not be  completed before freeze-up.  The capacity to store effluent to settle in the ponding area is limited and the clock is ticking. 

Operators have warned the wastewater treatment plant might need to be shut down lacking space in a pond.

The discussion ended with the full commission voting to NOT go out for RFPs on engineering at this point, in order to keep the project on schedule at least for the first pond.  

There also was a motion approved to re-address the sole use of Stantec for later phases of pond remediation and get more advice on engineering quotes.

In another matter: the commission entertained a couple informal offers to lease farmland at the plant, presented at their March meeting.  Two commissioners said they were approached by persons interested in the land.  The commission agreed to have the offers come back in writing and directed staff that a contract be drafted and the offers would be considered at this week’s meeting.  Only one was presented and this was verbal.  Commissioner David Waldoch said Bruce Peterson told him he’d pay $80 per acre, and that Peterson wants the acreage for more than one year.

Commissioner Dresel, who had been the second commissioner contacted earlier, announced that the party no longer has an interest.

Two of the nine members voted no on allowing Peterson to use the estimated 29 acres and the proposal was sanctioned.  

Commission Chair Lisa Iverson and Claire Luger argued there ought to be  contract-terms, in written form to adopt and there was not;  plus there was nothing in writing from the leasee.  

Iverson said she is all about formal process and the sewer commission had never notified the public that public land was available to lease and there were no offers to compare.

Staff needs to compile some details like the specific boundary of the area to be leased and acres involved.  

Commissioners also suggested the lease be reviewed yearly.  The commission also wants a policy on allowing outside use-in-general of the treatment plant parcels, especially in cases of for profit uses.

With the upcoming loss of Alliegro Law Firm as the commission’s legal counsel— the group voted to accept a proposal from Kennedy & Graven.  There were two law firms (Flaherty and Hood was the other) that the commission heard from when it sought proposals for professional services.

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