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Rice Creek manager: Hugo paid $500,763 in 2024; urges more watershed dollars spent locally
Summary
John Waller, a manager on the Rice Creek Watershed District board, told the Hugo City Council that the city paid $500,763 in watershed taxes in 2024, highlighted local water-quality gains and urged policies to return more collected funds to Washington County.
John Waller, a manager on the Rice Creek Watershed District board, told the City of Hugo on Oct. 21 that Hugo paid $500,763 in Rice Creek watershed taxes in 2024 and urged the city to press for a larger share of locally collected watershed dollars to be spent within Washington County.
Waller said the district has made measurable progress — noting that "Bald Eagle Lake came off the impaired list," and described several funding mechanisms that have supported projects. He told council that last year the district received "over $900,000 of clean water money" to support an alum (ALM) treatment project on Centerville Lake and outlined how projects can be initiated: by the board, by city petitions, or by citizen petitions and lake associations.
During Q&A, Waller described the project-selection process, including a citizens advisory committee review for smaller cost-share projects (he said eligible residents can receive up to $7,500 for rain-garden or curb-cut work). He also summarized a legislative effort he championed to ensure more money collected locally is spent locally: according to Waller, his draft bill allowed counties to have "90%" of the funds they collect be spent in the collecting county, and he said there is precedent for similar language in other metropolitan funding streams.
Waller warned of large deferred-maintenance costs if drainage systems are neglected, offering a Ramsey County example: "that's gonna be around $30,000,000" for certain ditch repairs if work is postponed. He also described operational issues such as local beaver-related flooding and said the district has limited authority to remove beavers; staff and cities often must coordinate on those responses.
Council thanked Waller for the update and noted the city will consider his reappointment request and whether to provide a formal support letter. Waller asked staff to be "aggressive when they come to the partners meeting" to press for greater local reinvestment of watershed dollars.
Provenance: presentation and discussion with John Waller (Rice Creek) introduced SEG 534; remarks and Q&A concluded SEG 1007.
