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Brainerd, Baxter reach wastewater facility accord Six months of work wrapped in 25 minutes Staff Writer Six months of work was wrapped up in less than a half hour Wednesday as Brainerd and Baxter came to an agreement on Baxter's participation in a wastewater treatment facility expansion.
Though specific details need to be worked out, the city councils and public utilities commissions of Brainerd and Baxter in a joint meeting Wednesday at Northland Arboretum adopted a conceptual plan for both cities to share in an expanded wastewater treatment facility.
"Do you realize four separate units of government made a decision in less than a half an hour?" quipped Brainerd Mayor James Wallin at the conclusion of the 25-minute meeting.
Three points were outlined in the conceptual plan: making sure each city has a voice, creating capacity rights for Baxter and agreeing how to pay for the plant expansion.
Though joint meetings between the councils and commissions had been held in the past, Wednesday's agreement was the product of smaller meetings between the city administrators, utilities officials and mayors of both cities.
Baxter Mayor Darrel Olson said the results of a feasibility study commissioned by the Baxter City Council in June showed that while it was possible for Baxter to pursue its own wastewater treatment facility doing so would cost too much and take too much time.
With the conceptual plan comes the creation of a joint wastewater board on which would sit two Brainerd council members, two Baxter council members and a member of the Brainerd Public Utilities Commission who would serve as chairperson.
The purpose of the board would be to review capital and operating budgets and report back to respective city councils, said Baxter City Administrator Dennis Coryell. Brainerd would retain ownership and operation control of the wastewater treatment facility.
On capacity rights, it was agreed that Brainerd will receive 4 million gallons-per-day capacity of the 6 million that will be available with the plant expansion and Baxter will receive 2 million gallons per day, a change from the original proposed allotment of 4.3 million for Brainerd and 1.7 million for Baxter. The 2 million gallons-per-day capacity will be guaranteed for Baxter, Brainerd City Administrator Dan Vogt said.
Because of the change in capacity rights, Baxter also will be paying more for its share of the $21,682,690 expansion, from the original proposal of $7,205,680 to $8,650,310 under the new conceptual plan. Brainerd's total cost would decrease from $14,477,010 to $13,032,380.
Each council and commission approved the concept plan unanimously and directed staffers to create a long-term capacity rights agreement. The meeting was concluded by a round of applause from city officials present.
Construction of Brainerd's expanded wastewater treatment facility is expected to begin in 2007 and be completed and operational by 2009.
A public hearing for the wastewater treatment facilities plan will be 7 p.m. Wednesday at Brainerd City Hall.
MATT ERICKSON can be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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