Minutes

New Brighton Economic Development Commission

Regular Meeting

June 13, 1995

7:30 a.m.

New Brighton Family Service Center

Present:	Robert Benke, Jim Beran, George Gregori, Dennis Guldan, Ken Johnson, Jay Scott

Absent:	Neal Linnihan, Mike Olson, Jeff Schopf, Roger Williams

Also

Present:	Paul Buschman, Community Development Intern

John Drawz, Fredrikson & Byron

Matthew Fulton, City Manager

Jill Hanson, Economic Development Specialist

Miriam Horneff, MN Pollution Control Agency

Kevin Locke, Community Development Director

Dorraine Olson, Parks, Recreation & Natural Resource Commission

Darryl Owens, Environmental Protection Agency

Approval of Minutes

The May 9, 1995, Economic Development Commission meeting minutes were approved as written.

Report of Council Action

It was announced that New Brighton won the 1995 First Place Achievement Award for Community Development from the League of Minnesota Cities. The award was for the redevelopment of the downtown area and was presented at the League's annual meeting.

The City Council approved the Patio Enclosures Development Agreement. Construction is expected to begin late this summer.

An amendment to the Rottlund Redevelopment Agreement was passed. It allows Rottlund to purchase most of the property so that construction can begin promptly. The remaining small parcel will be transferred when the monitoring wells are removed.

Superfund Site Update

Darryl Owens is the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Field Project Manager of the Federal superfund site that includes Bell Lumber & Pole and MacGillis and Gibbs. Owens updated the Commission on the progress of the clean up. Bell Lumber signed a consent order with the MPCA to clean the site and has been conducting clean-up activities for the past five years. MacGillis and Gibbs was not able to sign a clean-up agreement due to financial difficulties.

The MacGillis & Gibbs site was broken into three operable units for studying: #1 is the most contaminated area and includes the on-site drainage area, #2 is the abandoned tanks and the groundwater plume, #3 includes the rest of the soils, the groundwater, and the many ecosystems that interface the site. Two layers of aquifers are under the site: the New Brighton aquifer, a layer of clay and then the Hillside sand aquifer. City water is pulled from the lower aquifer.

The site is now closely regulated by the State of Minnesota, resulting in no new contamination. The contaminants present include chromated copper arsenic, pentachlorophenol, and creosote. The clean- up of the site will take place by three methods. The organically contaminated soils will be incinerated, the metal contaminants will use a solidification process and then be disposed of at a landfill. The groundwater will be pumped and treated before being released into the sanitary sewer system. It was decided that any off-site contamination of the surrounding ecosystems will be allowed to clean itself naturally.

A schedule of the MacGillis & Gibbs/ Bell Pole project was handed out to the Commission. The soil will be treated first from March to the fall of 1996. The water clean up is currently in the design stage. Bids will be let this August and awarded by October 1995. Construction of the pump and treat facility should be completed by the fall of 1996.

Miriam Horneff is the Project Manager from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Horneff requested the City work with the agency on what our priorities are and what we may want to see develop on that site. A coordinated effort will insure that the clean up infrastructure will not impede any new developments. The northern third of the MacGillis site can be developed first. The issues concerning future planning of the site will be discussed at the July Economic Development Commission meeting. Horneff requested a listing of out goals, the uses we want to develop on the site, a possible utility plan, and suggested phasing of the development.

The funding of the cleanup may become a major issue in the cleaning process. The Environmental Protection Agency funds 90% of the remediation and the State has to put up a 10% match. Funds are becoming very scarce at both the federal and a state level. Horneff and Owens both suggested that it may be appropriate at this point to let our local and state elected officials know that we understand that our clean-up efforts are threatened due to lack of Superfund funding. It was suggested that in the letter, we stick to the issue of funding and not cloud the real problem with other points.

TIF Economic Development Districts

Due to the importance and depth of the Superfund site issue, this item was moved to the July agenda.

New Brighton Project Updates

Jim Beran reported on the progress of the Business Retention survey. Approximately 347 letters and surveys have been sent out; 160 interviews were completed resulting in 41 red flags. Twenty-four of the red flags have been handled and resolved. The main concern heard to date has been the New Brighton Post Office.

Other Business

The New Brighton Care Center will begin construction on July 6. The property for both the Care Center and Brighton Green is being prepared for transfer.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 a.m.