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CONSTRUCTION TIME: Work continues on County Road J interchange PAGE 2
SBM Fire pays a visit to the city of Lexington BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
Summer concert series returns for 18th season
FILE
The beginning of the summer season means communities are slowly kicking off their summer concert series. Many begin in June and end, respectively, in August. The next city to kick off its concert series is Centerville. Centerville’s Music in the Park concert series is scheduled to return on June 9. Find more information and a list of performances on page 2.
LEXINGTON — Spring Lake Park-BlaineMounds View (SBM) Fire Department Fire Chief Dan Retka and Assistant Chief of Emergency Management Matt Montain visited the Lexington City Council to provide an overview of the services and operations of the SBM Fire Department. The SBM Fire Department was established in 1944. At the time, the department included Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Mounds View and six other cities. “Not one city, not one township, could stand up a fire department on their own so they got together, collaborated and we were off and running,” Retka said. Today, the department continues to serve Spring Lake Park, Blaine and Mounds View. Under a service contract, the department serves Circle Pines and Centerville (see “Centennial Fire District taking ‘big step’ to integrate with SBM,” Quad Community Press, Sept. 4, 2025). Retka said the department is now working with the city of Lexington to provide administrative services (see “Lexington temporarily partners with the SBM Fire Department,” Quad Community Press, April 9, 2026). The SBM Fire Department serves more than SEE SBM FIRE, PAGE 12
Lexington, Blaine reach agreement on water connection Lexington and Blaine have reached an agreement regarding the connection of the two cities’ water utility systems. The Lexington City Council has approved a joint powers agreement (JPA) with Blaine related to the connection. In 2020, Blaine filed a lawsuit in District Court against Lexington. The lawsuit claimed there was no active JPA in place between the two cities and Blaine is the sole owner of the 16-inch water main that runs through Lexington. Furthermore, the city of Blaine has the right to
maintain infrastructure situated within Lexington; and Lexington must comply with its own ordinances regarding the issuance of right-ofway permits to the city of Blaine. (See “Blaine takes Lexington to court over water system.” Quad Community Press, Sept. 27, 2021.) Five years later, in June 2025, Judge Jenny Walker Jasper ruled the city of Blaine has the right to disconnect its water system from Lexington. The ruling also stated Blaine owned a key water main in Lexington, having paid to build it. (See “Blaine cuts Lexington from water system,” Quad Community Press, June 18, 2025.) Now, the two cities are putting the
Fa i rwaY
The agreed amount due will be based upon 75% of the amount of water provided by Blaine, billed at a rate of $3.24 per 1,000 gallons. As stated in the agreement, both parties agreed that such payment, and receipt of payment without limitation, is in complete satisfaction of payment obligations to Blaine, based on Lexington’s past 2025 water usage. For all water usage between Jan. 1, 2026, and the adoption of the JPA, Lexington agreed to pay 101% of the total amount of metered water usage by Lexington. This is per terms set forth in Section 8.2 of the agreement. SEE JPA, PAGE 5
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past behind them and are looking to resolve their mutual disputes regarding water utility systems. According to the JPA, Blaine and Lexington have agreed upon an amount due for Lexington’s past water usage in 2025, prior to the adoption of the JPA. The amount of water provided by Blaine to Lexington will be calculated by taking the total amount of metered water usage by Lexington, based upon meter readings. The calculation will then deduct the amount of water pumped by Lexington’s Well 15, based upon the well meter. The JPA states this sum will be considered the amount of water provided by Blaine.
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