Minutes - Council - 04/30/1979 - Special

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Special Meeting - Council April .30~-Z!~79 P. age PCA - We are aware of it, our budget is limited, we sample this site and 17 others and in looking at the lab tests we felt that the well could have nitrate due to reasons other than the landfill. Mr. Sha said he is the first to concede that some of the perimeters are expensive to obtain but in perspective in what it might create for the people, Waste Management could get the money back from the people it serves to pay for that service. The City is not seeing the monitoring results. After the City's request~ sampling results were sent too late for us to do anything about it. When there is an abnormal sample, the logical thing to do is go back and resample it and find out what it is and where it's coming from, this isn't being done, it is being written off. The City is concerned about the heavy metals because of the sludge operation that was going on for years. There ought to be some annual examinations in the sampling wells and private wells. We are concerned with what's down there that Ramsey will have to live with a good long time. Councilman Cox said his point is that the people came here to get answers from the agencies that control the landfill. These agencies should realize what the people have to put up with. The City as a governmental body is treated as though we don't exist. It is almost impossible to get any cooperation. The answer to our engineer's letter was pretty much telling us to go fly a kite. He doesn't think it is appropriate for these agencies to treat the City in that manner when the City is trying to be accountable to its people. PCA responded that they are not a local zoning agency. The~vare state-wide. Homes have been constructed since the time the landfill was first created, it is a problem of proximity. Councilman Cox said that he didn't hear Mr. Otter answer any questions with a yes or no. The City has to depend on agencies like PCA to see that things are done. It is about time credibility and accountability come back to government. People deserve answers. L. Ziemer asked who pays for cleaning up water that is contaminated. Mayor Gamec said that it would probably result in a lawsuit running from three to five years. Councilman Cox said who could prove the landfill caused the contamination. Mr. Dunn said he has viewed a 55 gallon can at a home near the dump that he could see someCh'i~gwas dumped out, who knows what it was, who knows that someone doesn't drive around duri.ng the night dumping chemicals. Where is the list of concerns going to end. Councilman Cox said someone should accept the responsibility of periodic monitoring of what is being dumped~ hazardous waste has to be coming 'into the landfill more than we want to think about. Mr. Hutchinson commented on a "Bar Study", which provides for going to the source to control what is being dumped. Mayor Gamec announced that the remainder of the meeting would be a Special Council meeti.ng to consider alternative ways of assessing a proposed street improvement for 161st Avenue N.W. lying betweeng Armstrong Blvd N.W. and Llama St. N.W. and Llama St. N.W. lying between 161s~,t Ave. N.W, and 163rd Avenue N.W.