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Minutes - 03/15/1993 Workshop ~,-. - -, COUNCn.. WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES March 15, 1993 TAPE READING 0040 DATE. COUNCn.. CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, CITY OF WOODBURN, COUNTY OF MARION, STATE OF OREGON, MARCH 15, 1993. CONVENED. The Council met in a workshop session at 7:00 p.m. with Mayor Kelley presiding. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss wastewater issues. ROLL CALL. Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Kelley Arntzen Figley Galvin Hagenauer Jennings Sifuentez Present Present Absent Present Absent Present Present Staff Present: City Attorney Shields, Public Works Director Tiwari, Community Development Director Goeckritz, Public Works Manager Rohman, Wastewater Superintendent Sinclair 0049 Public Works Director Tiwari stated that decisions relating to the wastewater plant will be one of the expensive items that this Council will have to deal with. Woodburn is surrounded by agricultural land and the City's treated wastewater is discharged to the Pudding River. He indicated on the map the different cities which are contributing pollutants to the Pudding River and stated that Woodburn is the largest city in the area. Therefore, we will have to do our share of cleaning up so that the river will have less pollutants. The City does have various management programs that it does follow, however, new regulations continue to impact the City's treatment program. He stated that pollution does not have political boundaries. Pollution from the areas outside of the City's boundaries will still have an impact on the City's wastewater treatment and allowable discharge limits to the river. 0229 Frank Sinclair, Wastewater Superintendent, provided the Council with background information on federal government's goal to protect public health and clean-up the environment. The responsibility has been placed on local government to meet requirements established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EP A) and the State Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The current plant was put into operation in 1979 which met regulations at that time and was designed for a 20-year build out. There is still capacity available, however, the plant is not capable of meeting new regulations which is being formulated by DEQ. It is estimated that a new plant could cost in the neighborhood of $36,000,000. He reviewed the areas outside of the City which are contributing to the pollution of the Pudding River and septage problems when Page 1 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, March 15, 1993 r -, - - COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTFS March 15, 1993 TAPE READING leaches into ground water. He explained the City's current treatment process and showed slides of how the operation works. He stated that projections pertaining to a 20- year buildout usually relate to the need to review the structural capability of certain portions of the plant. For example, concrete does deteriorate and may need to be replaced within 15-20 years of original construction. The City is required to investigate lab results which are outside of the average otherwise EP A issues a violation to the City. As part of the plant expansion, the City will be required to meet stipulated permit requirements. The City does spread some of the sludge on certain fields but the City must continue to monitor the PH level of the sludge even after it is spread on the fields. Director Tiwari stated that a public hearing before DEQ will be held on March 18th to hear testimony on the Total Maximum Daily Load which may be discharged to the Pudding River. To further discuss this issue, he introduced Daria Wightman, representing CH2M Hill, who has been working with the City on the Facilities Plan. Ms. Wightman provided background information on DEQ's responsibilities as set forth by the EP A and the standards established by DEQ to protect the environment. She reviewed DEQ's standards for discharge of BOD and ammonia into the Pudding River for the City and AgriPac. DEQ used a model formula to arrive at limitations to be imposed on the City's discharge. The City has discussed the items of concern with DEQ of which some of the items were addressed in the TMDL. However, not all of the items were addressed by DEQ and staff feels that not all of the questions and concerns were answered. Therefore, the public hearing testimony before DEQ will include the remaining questions and concerns and hopefully be included in the final TMDL's. The main issue of concern from staff is that DEQ has never given the City the documentation associated with the model. A copy of the model was only given to the staff just recently for review. Ms. Wightman stated that next opportunity the City would have to respond to DEQ following the public hearing would not be until a permit is issued. There are still some negotiations that will be available with DEQ relating to planned growth. Director Tiwari stated that the informal agreements made by DEQ during their discussion with staff needs to be brought out in the public hearing testimony so that the plant design will meet whatever requirements are imposed and not be changed while construction is being done. The City does have a permit and consent order which gives the City deadlines in which to get certain work accomplished. Design of a new plant will not take place until DEQ does agree on the final permit requirements. Under the current consent order, the City still has capacity at the plant and can continue to develop. Preston Tack, 2197 Camilla Way, stated that he has no problem with the technical decisions but feels that the problem should be looked at as a whole since Woodburn is only a part of the problem in discharging effluent to the Pudding River. He Page 2 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, March 15, 1993 'r" - .-.. ~ COUNCn... WORKSHOP MEETING MINUTES March 15, 1993 TAPE READING recommended that Woodburn be a part of, if not lead, in a type of approach that would be Pudding River basin wide so that all of the problems be looked at were best to locate facilities, how to organize financially to resolve a Pudding River problem. He urged that a regional approach be looked at vary seriously by Woodburn. Gil Flower questioned if the City had discussed a regional approach to resolving the Pudding River problem. Director Tiwari gave some historical background on how he had tried to pursue the regional approach in the past. The staff has covered some of the regional issues but the staff has not gone so far as to look at a regional facility which is governed by a separate regional board. He has contacted Clackamas and Marion counties to see if they would support a major share of a septage study and hopefully share in the costs of what eventually needs to be done. Discussion was held regarding the regional approach which has been done by other governmental units. Director Tiwari stated that getting agencies together on a regional basis may be a more difficult since those cities are not being forced to make any changes that would require the construction of only one major plant. Councilor Jennings urged the staff and Council to look at all of the positive aspects in addressing this issue. Mr. Tack provided the Council with his educational and technical background in wastewater management and offered his services to assist the staff in contacting other agencies regarding the regional approach. 2690 ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:20 p.m.. APPROVED ~ ~ LENKELL Y, MAYOR ATIEST 11a;t, ~ Mary T nant, Recorder City of Woodburn, Oregon Page 3 - Council Workshop Meeting Minutes, March 15, 1993