Agenda - Council - 05/27/1980 - Laserfiche WebLink

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able authority to establish lake and lake tribu- taries restoration and improvement programs and projects. However, funding is available only for implementing projects and not for planning and data collection. The League urges the legislature to establish a unified program for the funding of lake restoration and improvement planning and program implementation. Minnesota Municipal Board Since its organization, the Minnesota Municipal Board has strengthened municipal government by providing a means for the orderly and intelligent evaluation of proposed incorporations, consoli- dations, and annexations throughout the state. Recent additions and changes in the Board's authority in annexation areas will encourage and foster an assessment of the consequences for governmental framework of certain kinds of de- velopment and services in urbanizing fringe areas around cities. The League commends the legislature for making this change and re¢om- mends that no further changes be made in the annexation laws until the current system has been evaluated through its application by the Municipal Board to annexation situations. The League recommends that the Municipal Board be given the authority to control the crea- tion of urban towns in the future. Any township which needs municpal powers should be required to request that authority of the Board, and the request should automatically confer continuing jurisdiction on the Board to initiate annexation, incorporations or consolidations of the township territory. In 1979 the legislature adopted an orderly pro- cedure for the consolidation of cities. This proce- dure should be broadened to include the consoli- dation of entire townships within the city con- solidation process. State and federal wastewater treatment grants Over the past several years, Congress and the Minnesota Legislature have made a major commit- ment to providing cities with funds for wastewater treatment plants. Cities, tgo, have made a major commitment of their resources. However, only the highest priority communities have received funds to date. In view of the needs that have been identified for improved wastewater treatment, and the substantial commitment that has already been made in planning for improved treatment facili- ties, the League urges that Congress and the legislature continue to fund wastewater treat- ment at the current level including funds to com- pensate for increased costs due to inflation, and to increase funding to reduce the city's share. May, 1980 gib - 26 -