West Saint Paul Inflow/Infiltration Update

Mark Mohr received this letter from the ACLU after he wrote them to question them on West Saint Paul's soon to be new Inflow/Infiltration ordinance. I apologize for the quality of the scans.

Here is a scan of a letter sent to West Saint Paul Mayor, John Zanmiller. Mark Mohr contacted the ACLU after the January 14th WSP city council meeting to ask about 4th and 14th ammendment protection. The ACLU appears to have immediately responded by sending Mayor Zanmiller this letter dated 17 January and a response to Mr. Mohr on the 25th. What Mark and I have learned about this issue at the council meetings is,

1 If you do not let the inspectors in, you will not get fined,

2 If you are 65 years of age or older, you will not have to pay an assesment.

3 It is very doubtful that anyone will be bothered with an administrative search warrant. The city will have to talk a judge into issuing a blanket warrant to cover every residence in the city. Only then can an inspector enter your home against your will.

4 We believe the city will enact a sewer ordinance but hope it will address several of the concerns we brought up at the January 28th city council meeting.

5 Our elected officials will not attempt to take on the Mighty Met Council. It would cost the city, (us taxpayers) too much in legal fees. Lake Elmo took on the Mighty Met Council once only to lose.

6 It is the Environmental Protection Agency that is coming down on the Mighty Met Council and then it is passed on to the cities to do the dirty work.