03-10-97 SCCCITY OF OTSEGO
WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA
CITY COUNCIL AND ISD # 728
SPECIAL MEETING
5:30 PM
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
OTSEGO CITY HALL
MARCH 10, 1997
5:30 PM Otsego City Council and City Engineer will meet with School District 728,
David Flannery, Superintendent, Engineer, and two school board members regarding
Otsego Municipal Well:
1. Mayor Fournier will call meeting to order.
Mayor Fournier called the meeting to order at 5:30 PM.
2. Introductions
Attending from the 728 School Board were: Mary McDevitt- Kralj ic, Mark Strater, Pat
Scharber and Ron Bratlie, Director of Finance.
Attending from Otsego: Mayor Larry Fournier, Council Members: Mark Berning, Vern
Heidner, Virginia Wendel; Kevin Kielb, Assistant City Engineer, Elaine Beatty, City
Clerk/Zoning Administrator and Judy Hudson, Deputy Clerk. Councilmember Suzanne
Ackerman was absent.
3. Discussion of Otsego's Munici}2al Well,
Dr. Bratlie went over a brief history of what he felt have been the problems associated
with the Otsego Elementary School's water system. Sand was pumped into their system
and caused problems and the School has gone through considerable expense to clean and
install a filtration system to correct this problem. He presented the City with an itemized
list of expenses totaling over $60,000 and asked for assistance. He also wants to explain
what has happened and what type of action can be taken to rectify this.
Mayor Fournier said it was the City's intent to provide water service to the school. The
City would be responsible for the well but once the water was inside of the school it
would be the school's responsibility. He also explained the system and the pressure
switch which seems to fluctuate.
CM Heidner explained the city had to replace the pump at the well and questioned if the
system at the school was properly pressurized.
Kevin said there is still difficulty with this. The pressure switch will tell the pump when to
pump and when to shut off. The pressure switch is the heart of the system. He has talked
to Roger Hanson on this.
Mayor Fournier asked if there was ever a time the sand exceeded the state guidelines.
Mr. Kielb replied not that they have been able to find. The state guideline is less than 5
parts per million. He also went to say initially they had the well pumping at 500 ppm and
have restricted to 360 ppm. In August, 1995, representatives from the school, engineers
City of Otsego and ISD 728 Meeting of March 10, 1997, cont'd. Page 2.
and well driller were there and ran tests which showed sand less than 5 ppm. Other testing
sources showed the same results.
Dr. Bratlie noted the filter has corrected this and sand is less than it was. He noted the
letter dated 10-7-94 from Traut Wells and he read this letter. One concern was that the
report was altered and signed.
Kevin replied they had noted this and Traut Wells acknowledged it.
CM Heidner clarified the City was not involved in this and in fact, the City found this and
brought it to their attention.
Kevin also noted during well construction they recognized the fact that additional well
development would be needed (and the hole was expanded and therefore lessen the uplift
of water).
Pat Scharber asked if the well has the capability of servicing others other than the school
as it exists today.
Kevin explained what would be needed since fire flows would have to be determined etc.
She also questioned if without the filter device if sand would be in the system and
therefore could it be the pump.
Kevin replied, without knowing the quantity of sand it would be difficult to answer. He
also noted they have been testing and Mr. Bratlie said sand was decreasing.
(Mr. Bratlie noted the accumulative is decreasing).
Kevin replied that 4 ppm is a very small amount of sand but the more gallons pumped the
more will show up. The amount is within the criteria of the state.
There was also discussion between Dr. Bratlie and Kevin Kielb on storage systems and
typical municipal well systems. Dr. Bratlie feeling that most cities providing water have a
filter system on them. Mr. Kielb disagreed.
Dr. Bratlie also stated he felt this well was oversized and if the school had developed their
own well it wouldn't have been as big.
Mr. Kielb noted this was brought up several times. He explained a water system is
designed on two criteria - domestic usage and for fire flow. The school fire flow is 360
pm and the domestic use isn't near that. A flow restrictor placed on the unit for 360 gpm
which would have been same amount their own well would have had to pump.
Mary McDevit Krajic understood the Joint Power Agreement was for mutual benefit. The
agreement was water would be within the appropriate guidelines and the City would get
the water to the school and the school would maintain it. As early as October of 1994
there would or could be problems in the well and not sure if the problems were corrected
but she understands Kevin will be doing a timeline. But in June of 1995 the school
contained more sand than allowed. She also noted the School District incurred $60,000 in
expenses and she would like to see assistance from the City.
City Council and ISD 728 Meeting of March 10, 1997, cont'd. Page 3.
CM Heidner noted the school's pressurized system has not been working correctly and
may be the reason for the sand. He suggested the school discuss this with their designer
who should explain how it works.
Dr. Brathe contended the specifications for the water system were not intended for just
one user and would be different for one user.
Kevin would like to put together a timeline, address the flow restriction and other areas of
concern.
CM Heidner also requested the date the well was installed, date of initial testing, date of
restrictor, date filtration system installed in school and the memo discussing the
pressurized tank inside the school.
Dr. Brathe thought there should be others involved, possibly the designer of the well.
Everyone agreed the next meeting would be April 28, 1997 at 5:30 PM.
Meeting adjourned at 6:27 PM.
I
Meeting adjourned at 6:27 PM.
0
Fournier
Attest: Elaine Beatty, City Clerk/Zonipk Adm
Recorded by: Judy Hudson, Deputy Clerk