PUBLIC HEARING/Final Reading - An Ordinance Granting to Northern States Power Company, d/b/a Xcel Energy, A Minnesota Corporation, its Successors and Assigns, Permission to Construct, Operate, Repair and Maintain in the City of West St. Paul, Minnesota, an Electric Distribution System and Transmission Lines, Including Necessary Poles, Lines, Fixtures and Appurtenances, for the

Furnishing of Electric Energy to the City, its Inhabitants and Others, and to Use the Public Ways and Public Grounds of the City for Such Purposes.

The Mayor opened the public hearing at 7:05 p.m. to consider Final Reading of an Ordinance allowing Xcel Energy permission to construct and maintain an electric distribution system in the City of West St. Paul, and asked if there was anyone present who wished to speak on the matter and the following persons did so:

Clpns. [Councilperson] Finnegan expressed a concern regarding whether this ordinance would allow high power lines to be located in the city and noted the problems Sunfish Lake and Mendota Heights are having with working out an agreement with Xcel regarding the tower issue.

City Manager Larson indicated that when negotiating this Ordinance with Xcel, the city insisted that towers be deleted from the agreement and he didn't think Xcel intends to install any high power lines in the city.

The Council discussed whether changing the agreement at this stage would be a problem with Xcel.  Asst. City Attorney Land indicated that staff and Xcel had spent quite some time in negotiating this agreement and didn't know without checking with Xcel if putting in the stipulation of no high power lines and towers in the agreement would be a problem.

Clpns. Haubrich and Hart indicated agreement with Clpn. Finnegan that high power lines and towers should be specifically prohibited in the agreement.

The Council was advised that high power lines could not be installed in the city without towers which were eliminated from the agreement.

Clpn. Haubrich asked if staff could find out what the maximum voltage is on the current poles in the city and possibly, put voltage limits in the agreement.

The Mayor asked if there was anyone else present who wished to speak on the matter; no wished to do so.  The Mayor closed the public hearing.                                                                           

ON MOTION of Clpn. Finnegan, seconded by Clpn. Hart, resolved to pass Final Reading of

Ordinance No. 02-02 subject to language changes to the agreement with Xcel Energy regarding specifically prohibiting high power lines and towers in the City of West St. Paul.   

Ayes:  5   Nays:  0

NOTE:  This Ordinance will not be published or inserted in the minutes in its final form until the Council concerns have been addressed in the agreement with Xcel to the satisfaction of the  Council.   If and when the changes are made to the Ordinance, it will be attached  to these minutes as Exhibit A.