Roseville Council Postpones Decision on Water Management Organization Issue

Roseville’s city council this week postponed making a decision on whether the Grass Lake Water Management Organization (GLWMO) should receive an increase in funding from $37,000 to $150,000.

The organization, which is jointly funded by Roseville and Shoreview, is tasked with protecting city water and stormwater quality through management of the cities’ watersheds.

, members of the GLWMO said they needed to overhaul the organization’s structure in order to fulfill state requirements for water quality, and suggested instituting a stormwater utility fee to finance the organization.

“The biggest concern right now is if we’re going to make a change in the stormwater utility fee by January 1 how that will meld with their budget for 2012,” public works director Duane Schwartz said Monday.

The council will need to decide whether to retain a Joint Powers Agreement with the GLWMO.

“Does it make sense for it to remain as a JPA when the cities really don’t have budgetary accountability anymore?” Schwartz said.