Council hears housing-grant updates and landfill MPCA violation; remediation plan pending

Council Member Niesemeyer reported on work by the Moorhead Public Housing Agency and Solid Waste Advisory Committee, telling the council the city secured grant funding to support public-housing repairs and that the regional landfill faces an MPCA violation that will require remediation.

Niesemeyer said the city obtained grant funds benefiting Moorhead Public Housing and described allocations for the Riverview High Rise and other projects. During her report she referenced $150,000 in grant funds, and said $50,000 of that grant will be leveraged for new windows and a generator at the Riverview High Rise; she also said “the remaining $150,000 is going to be used to replace the roof at the high rise,” a sequence that was stated in the meeting and is unclear from the transcript whether the total grant amount is $150,000 or larger. Niesemeyer also noted repairs continuing at the high rise after a March fire and that a plumbing project at Sharpview is nearing completion.

On solid-waste matters, Niesemeyer told the council the Solid Waste Advisory Committee learned of a major Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) violation at the landfill in Holly; staff presented a remediation plan and the MPCA will issue a final decision in coming weeks. She said the demo landfill remained closed to individuals bringing demolition waste and that the committee approved procurement of additional dumpsters at the resource-recovery center and landfill to handle demolition material.

Niesemeyer also said the Resource Recovery Committee is negotiating a service agreement with Clay County for the resource-recovery center. Council did not take formal action on these reports during the meeting; members asked for updates from committee liaisons in future meetings.