Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Cedar Grove residents mad about Dirty Water - 5/13/1971To Cep 0-et) F, (r - j77Y 5 '/t/ , ,� / 3,
Cedar Grove 's Dirty Water'?7i
Causes Ire Among Residents
The water system in Ce-
dar Grove is in need of a
thorough "spring house-
cleaning," according to a
report issued last week by
the Minnesota Department
of Health.
State health officials
recommended that the lines
and hydrants be flushed
now and thereafter on a
regular schedule, that ade-
quate chlorination and
fluoridation be instituted,
that the addition of poly-
phosphates be abandoned,
that all pumping equipment
and fittings be inspected,
and replaced if necessary,
and that waterworks per-
sonnel be required to attend
the annual waterworks
maintenance workshop at
the University of Minneso-
ta.
IT WAS also recommend-
ed that treatment to re-
move iron and other miner-
als from the water be insti-
tuted at the source, but the
Eagan town board discount-
ed that recommendation as
impractical, since the cost
is exhorbitant and no such
equipment is in use on the
township water system.
Bill Branch, utility su-
perintendent, Bob Rosene,
town engineer, and officials
of the Cedar Grove Utility
Co. are scheduled to meet
and confer on the proposed
maintenance procedures.
In their report, state
health officials said there
was no bacteriological con-
tamination of the water,
therefore, it presented no
health hazard.
RESIDENTS OF Cedar
Grove, particularly the
Thurston, Fitzgerald, and
Blomquist families, have
complained of "black
spots" in their laundry and
in children's scalps.
Mrs. Thurston made a
trip to health department
offices last Tuesday to pick
up a copy of the report
which was mailed to the
town hall a day earlier.
One citizen reported to
the town board that a utility
company employee had
been advising residents to
remove spots from their
clothes with carbon te-
trachloride and from chil-
dren's scalps with cold
cream.
CARBON TETRACH-
LORIDE is a noxious, ex-
tremely toxic substance
which can cause irrepara-
ble damage to the liver if it
is inhaled or ingested, she
said, pleading with the town
board to warn residents not
to use it.
She added, however, that
it is no longer available to
the public, since it has re-
cently been removed from
the market by government
health officials.
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Ti.
in consul ado
cian, should be free
this private decision."
Eagan Board
Plans Cedar
Grove Meet
The Board of Supervisors, Ea=
gan township, at a recent meet-
ing directed that a public in-
formational meeting be held April
21 for the benefit of the Cedar
Grove residents with regard to
the pending case of Town of Eagan
vs. Cedar Grove Utilities Co.
The purpose of this meeting
will be to inform all the affect-
ed residents in Cedar Grove of
the status of the pending liti-
gation and what the legal and
practical alternatives are with
respect to the ultimate acquisi-
tion of the sewer and water sys-
tems in the Cedar Grove area.
Following this the Board of Su-
pervisors will have to make a
formal decision as to howtopro-
ceed.
This public meeting will be
held on April 21 at 7:30 p.m. at
the Cedar Elementary school.
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Eagan Considers Purchas
Of Cedar Grove Utilities
S /wA
A public hearing on Eagan Township's proposed purchase
of the Cedar Grove Utilities Company's water and sewer
systems is scheduled for 8 p.m. Feb. 27 at Cedar Elemen-
tary School, Cedar Ave. and County Road 30.
The proposed purchase price is $999.500 plus admini-
strative costs. For this amount the township would acquire
the utility company's principal assets consisting of its com-
pleted sewer and water systems, structures and equipment
and real property.
The area proposed to be assessed consists of Cedar
Grove first. second. third. fourth and fifth addition and
contiguous property served by these utilities, including
the Cedarvale Shopping Center.
During the summer of 1967 when a similar proposal
was made Cedar Grove property owners were overwhelm-
ingly opposed to having the township buy the utilities com-
pany and assess them to pay the cost.
Beth in Mobile
... See Page 3
National Park?
... See Page 4
Rahn Measures
... See Page 6
NjINNESOTA
VALLEY
Copyright 1971, Suburban Newspapers, Inc.
74/4-4101/
Spring Fling
... See Page 14
Vol. 12, No. 20
THREE SECTIONS Thursday, April 29, 1971
Second Class Postage Paid
At Minneapolis, Minn.
15 CENTS
Final Decision Pending .. .
Eagan Residents Favor Purchase of
Residents of Cedar Grove indicated to the Eagan
town board Wednesday night that they favor immediate
purchase of the Cedar Grove Utilities Co.
Fewer than a hundred persons attended the meeting
at Cedar elementary school where it was announced that
the estimated cost to each property owner will be $1,330.
Costs for 900 sewer and 1070 water hookups will be
assessed over 20, 25, or 30 years, depending on bond matur-
ities, with annual installments estimated at $122.36,
$1A8.53*er.$99.30, respectively.
TAKING SOME of the sting out of that announce-
ment was assurance that the estimated average monthly
sewer and water charge will be $6.50, compared with the
present $10.75.
That estimate will probably increase over the years,
engineer Bob Rosene cautioned, if inflation continues.
"This year is the first time we've received our bill
from the Metropolitan Sewer Board (for sewage
treatment) and it was pretty steep," he said.
Sewer charges have increased throughout the metro-
politan area, it was pointed out, since the MSB takeover.
THE AREA SERVICED by the Cedar Grove Utility
Co. includes all of the Cedar Grove 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th
additions, with water service only to the 5th addition ex-
cept for 17 or 18 lots in the southwest corner which are
connected to township lines.
The board was wise to grant the franchise to the
Cedar Grove Utility Co. when development first began,
Klein said. "It spared you some of the problems the rest of
us have had."
CEDAR GROVE UTILITY Co. customers have had
the benefits of a central system since it was installed and
will be paying less, even now, than if it was ordered in at
this time, with the abandonment of private wells and sep-
tic tanks and tearing up of streets.
Owners of typical 75 foot lots in older additions paid
$2,200 assessments last year and residents of McKee Addi-
tion paid $1,600 for similar improvements four years ago.
"MY BIG REGRET about this whole thing is that a
lot of you people were misled by a lot of misinformation in
1967. It's going to cost you $250,000 more now, and not only
that, you would have had four years of equity in the system
Utilities Firm
by now if you had let us go ahead with it."
"If you want us to appeal it, we will," he promised.
Wally Potter, 2004 Emerald Lane, drew a round of
applause when he said, " I think we saw the handwriting on
the wall. We should have faced up to it. We thought we
owned the system and yet I think we knew we didn't."
KLEIN CALLED for a show of hands which indicat-
ed that this was the concensus of those attending the meet-
ing.
Potter was echoing the words of Supervisor Paul
Uselmann who, earlier in the meeting, declared it was
"time to bite the bullet hard and take our licks."
"There is no other answer at this point in time," he
To Page 3
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A1
Eagan Residents
From Page 1
said.
Attorney Luther Stalland told the audience there was
only one faint hope of appealing the court's decision that
the system is worth $1.3 million.
That hope lies in the fact that the District Court dis-
allowed the town to present evidence of grants-in-aid.
THE BOARD OF arbitration is an administrative
body and this was a fact-finding determination, he told his
listeners, and unless we can show that the board of arbitra-
tion acted arbitrarily or capriciously or that fraud was
present, there is little or no chance of changing the deci-
sion.
Of the 90-day appeal period, 60 days have already
gone by. he pointed out. The court denied,a motion filed by
Stalland that the town be permitted to go back to the board
of 'arbitration and introduce evidence of the grants-in-aid.
THESE INVOLVED set -offs, evidence the residents
had that they had paid off part of the system.
Stalland pointed out that litigation costs to date, ex-
cluding attorneys' fees, amounted to $10 or $15,000. An
appeal to the Supreme Court could add another $10,000 to
the costs, he said.
Part of the costs were incurred when a Milwaukee
consulting firm, one of the top appraisal firms in the coun-
try, was called in to evaluate the system. That firm told
township officials that "we can't do you any good . . . the
system is worth even more than the arbitrated price."
STALLAND DID enter evidence of the system's in-
adequacy during periods of peak demand, but integration
into the township water system will upgrade the capacity,
it was pointed out.
The arbitrated price is predicated on the value and
condition of the system as of May 1, 1970, and Cedar Grove
Utility Co. will be required to deliver it to the township in
that condition.
THAT STATEMENT came in response to a question
from Bob Caylor, 1825 Turquoise Trail, who asked the
board whether anything can be done to force Cedar Grove
Utility Co. to bring the system up to standards.
"To buy an inadequate system at this price is ridicu-
lous," he said.
Stalland told Ted Ringberg, 1997 Emerald Lane, that,
the company's announced intention of trying to collect,
retroactively, a monthly boost of $3 on utility bills will "be
part of our settlement agreement."
ROSENE HAD told the audience earlier, however,
that the system is inadequate only in summer, during peak
demand. "It's a good quality system . . . well designed.
There is nothing marginal about it," he added.
In answer to Potter's request that "this FHA thing
be clarified," it was explained that, as of the date the
township passed the resolution and started arbitration
proceedings, the FHA and VA adopted a policy whereby
the seller assumed the pending assessment.
On each piece of FHA or VA insured property sold
since that time, $1,200 has been placed in escrow to cover
the cost,
"THIS IS STRICTLY FHA and VA policy . . . we
had nothing to say about it," the audience was told by
board members.
When the decision is made to buy out the utility
company, the town board will go through the regular pro-
cedure of selling bonds to finance the project, preparing
assessment rolls and conducting assessment hearings. at
which property owners will have a right to appeal.
uuunuuunuunnuunumuunmuuuunuuuunnuunumnnnuunnnuununuuunnnnuuunlu
use it each year. _
Now. Rep. Robert Ashbach has
proposed the area be a state, not a
national park, suggesting this course
iderable would permit state control and that a
. Though state park would be used primarily by =_
National Minnesotans (and attract fewer non- _
ilderness Minnesotans I, bettering the chances E
the argu- of actual preservation of the area. We
ncing. As think his idea has merit and that the
out, it's legislature should carefully consider
ving the it, even if it means delaying action on E
assuring the national park until another ses-
visit and Sion.
miiiiiimitimmiiiiiiimiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmiiiiiimiiiiiiiimmiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil
elcomed
as widely
O'Brien
dent Leaders
k for Changes
r
J
s
v
0
s
n
s
i
settlement will the South
Vietnamese be able to
achieve the stability and
security they could not
achieve while aided by a
half million American
troops? How will strength-
ening the narrow, uncom-
promising Thieu-Ky regime
lead to the reconciliation of
political and military fac-
tions within South Viet-
nam? How in the absence of
political settlement are
prisoners of war to be ex-
changed?"
Unless these issues are
resolved the letter stated,
"Vietnamization will con-
tinue to be politically futile.
As long as our Asians. sup-
plied. combat -supported
and paid by the United
States, fight other Asians
the suffering and death
remains an American re-
sponsibility. Changing the
color of the corpses does
not end the war."
THE MESSAGE ended
with this warning, "The
outrage and purposefulness
emerging from beneath the
surface despair on our
campuses, when it is cou-
pled with the widespread
loss of public confidence in
your administration, can-
not be deflected or con-
tained."
We'd like to read Mr.
Nixon's reply to the letter.
According to the long list
of signers appearing in the
Congressional Record. stu-
dent body president. and
editors of practically all
Minnesota colleges and the
University were represent-
ed.
J��IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIL
VIGNETTES
OF
HISTORY
Indians Had Good Times
1 j"
Eagan Board to Consider
Cedar Grove Utility Rates
The Eagan Town Board has scheduled a meeting with the
Cedar Grove Homeowners Association at 8:30 p.m. May 14
to discuss the utility rates in Cedar Grove.
The homeowners want the town board to take court action
to file an injunction on the rates which some owners claim
are "excessive."
Currently the utilities in Cedar Grove are owned by the
development company to whom homeowners pay their utility
bills.
Several years ago the township developers and homeowners
discussed the possibility of the township acquiring the
utilities system, but no mutually satisfactory arrangement
could be worked out among the three parties.
The whole subject will probably be fully aired at the May
14 hearing.
TION
1
u
APRIL 29, 1971
Eagan Residents Request
Purchase Of Utility Firm
By ELISABETH KENNEALY
Staff Writer
About 200 persons attended a
meeting held by Eagan township
concerning the Cedar Grove Uti-
lities company proposed to be
purchased by the township, held
at the Cedar elementary school
April 21. Board chairman John
J. Klein chaired the meeting.
Also present was LutherM.Stal-
land, township attorney, who re-
ported on "Town of Eagan vs.
Cedar Grove Utilities, file 68550
in Dakota county district court.
Also speaking was Robert Ro-
sene, town engineer, who dis-
cussed plans for purchasing the
system.
The background was discus-
sed, going back to April of 1959
when a 25-year franchise was
granted the Cedar Grove Utili-
ties company for water and sew-
er purposes to serve the Cedar
Grove development. Township
population was then about 2500
persons, and the town board did
not feel it should install such
systems at that time. In 1966
the board began to discuss the
possibility of purchasing the uti-
lity firm, and preliminary nego-
tiations were begun. In the spring
of 1967 a preliminary recom-
mendation was made for a cost
of $999,500.00 and apublic meet-
ing was held July 19, 1967, to
discuss the matter. Residents
felt the price was too high, and
the board rejected the purchase.
A freeze was put on a rate
increase.
Another public meeting was
held February 27, 1969 to learn
what Cedar Grove residents
wished to do. Arbitration was
preferred, and Robert C. Bell of
St. Paul was named board arbi-
trator. The firm refused to name
an arbitrator and a lawsuit was
filed to force arbitration. At a
trial, each party named its ar-
bitrators and lengthy proceed-
ings were held to determine the
reasonable market value of the
systems. A report was filed Feb-
ruary 19, 1971. The amount was
$1,256,450.00. Mr. Bell filed a
minority report stating the value
to be no more than $250,000.00.
The court set a date for closing
for September 15, 1971. The or-
der was made March 29, 1971,
and the time for appeal is con-
tinuing. Residents showed pre-
ference for buying the system
and to cease litigation. At the
$1,300,000 estimated acquisition
cost, each of the roughly 1,000
homes in Cedar Grove would have
an interest of about $1,330 or
$710 for sewer and $620 for
water. Plans for 20, 25 and 30
year financing were discussed,
and would be dependent upon the
bond market at the time of sale.
Township officials estimate a
aving of $41.20 per year in uti-
lity costs, or a combined month-
ly service charge of $6.50. An
assessment hearing will be held
later on, Attorney Stalland said.
—World progress would move
faster if people would talk less
and work harder.
APRIL 29, 1971
BURNSVIL
Burnsville Office Telephone 890-2530
WEEK OFMAY3-7
Clean Up Burnsville;
Use Pick -Up Service
By CONNIE MORRISON
Staff Writer
The village of Burnsville has
proclaimed May 3 through 7 as
is
le
Village Council
Hearings Set
The Burnsville Village Council
will hold a public hearing May 3
at 7:45 p.m. to discuss the ap-
plications of Dakota Electric As-
sociation for a conditional use
permit to construct an electric
substation, of Edward M. Con-
nelly, Sunny Acres Mobile home
park, for rezoning from single
d
th
e
Registration
Hours For Eagan
Voters Listed
In order to vote at the $1.1
million park bond proposal at
the polls May 25, Eagantownship
residents must be registered vot-
ers.
Clerk Alyce Bolke has an-
nounced special hours for voter
registration at the town hall, 3795
Pilot Knob road. The special
hours are April 30, May 3 and
May 5 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. One
may also register any week day
between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Mrs. Bolke said.
ON APRIL 22--
5-Year Lease
ve Office Sp.
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