The Canton City Council held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 10. The council continued its recent trend of efficiency, with only a few items on the agenda.
Clerk Anne Koliha gave an update on the city’s plan for tree removal, specifically focusing on dead/dying ash trees. Public works gave an update on new pollutant limits being developed by the MPCA for nitrate, sulfite, and chloride pollution from sewage treatment plants. These conversations are still in the early stages and the new limits have not been decided, however the city’s discharge levels are generally above the range of proposed limits, given that about 1,000 feet from the plant discharge is a karst sinkhole feature that “short circuits” the ability of the water to filter slowly through the ground into the aquifer. Public works director Jon Nordsving described that Canton is one of the first cities MPCA is working with on these new proposed rules. “We are the guinea pigs,” he stated. There are a range of options available spanning from plausible to prohibitively expensive. For example, the main source of chloride pollution in the plant’s discharge is faulty water softeners – reducing chloride levels can be as simple as homeowners getting their softeners checked, which has the added benefit of saving the homeowner money on salt. Nordsving stated that MPCA understands that small cities cannot afford the most expensive options, and is not looking to impose extraordinary new costs. The goal is for the city to develop a long-term plan tailored to their specific circumstances.
The police and planning commission had nothing to report, and there was no old business to revisit. Clerk Koliha reported that the city’s financial audit came back “clean” with everything in line with the previous year. A liquor license for the Canton American Legion was approved. The council recognized Jimmy Davis for 10 years of service with Public Works, and Jon Nordsving for 20 years with the fire department. The meeting was then adjourned; the next meeting will be Wednesday, May 8, at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.