Council back public works improvements

The Sheboygan Falls Common Council approved several Public Works Department upgrades, during a regular monthly meeting Tuesday, March 16, at the City Hall Municipal Building.

During a City Services Committee meeting, Director of Public Works Mike Mersberger spoke to the council about a variety of sewer and equipment improvements.

He discussed the need to install new sewer lines on a portion of two city streets.

“We have about 1,052 total feet of sanitary sewer lining that needs to be put in on York Street and Short Street,” Mersberger said. “There is also pressure grouting of manholes and main line joint and lateral connection lining that needs to be performed.”

The council approved the work to be completed by Visu-Sewer Inc. of Pewaukee at a total price of $61,884.

Anne Krauter, City Services Committee chairperson, said the project will be covered by the city’s capital-improvement fund.

The council also approved R.A Smith National to conduct a six-month sanitary sewer flow monitoring study at a cost of $39,000.

Mersberger told the council that the city’s sanitary sewer system handles an average of 800,000 to one million gallons of wastewater every day, which produces a significant strain on the system.

“We have approximately 35 miles of sanitary sewer in the city,” he said. “In December our total flow came in at 30,424,000.”

“Due to a pretty heavy volume, we have leakage that occurs, especially when rainwater and groundwater enters the system, after we have heavy rain or significant snow melting in a day.”

Mersberger said a sanitary sewer system monitoring study measures and quantifies sewage flows and evaluates overall system performance.

“The amount of groundwater and rainwater entering the sewer system can be quantified by comparing the difference in the sewage flows, during dry and wet weather conditions,” he said. “Flow and rain data can be correlated to determine the percent of rainfall that entered the pipe or rainfall derived and the overall sewer performance.”

The study is expected to last up to six months.

“The data collected from the study will be used to develop statistics for base, average day, maximum day and maximum hour flow, indicating how the sewer performs during wet-weather events,” Mersberger said.

The council also approved the installation of a hydraulic plate breaker compactor by Miller, Bradford and Risberg Inc. for $6,988.50.

In other city services business, the council approved the city to opt into the Focus on Energy program April 1.

“We had WECC (Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation) as our energy conservation provider, but they will no longer offer service after March 31,” Krauter said. “There will be no increased cost for making the transition to Focus on Energy.”

The council engaged in a brief discussion of replacing a 1992 skid steer, as part of the 2009 capitalimprovement budget.

Mersberger has located a 2007 model, which includes attachments for a snowblower, broom and blacktop groomer for $24,366.

During a Finance and Personnel Committee meeting, Julie Meyer of Maritime Insurance Group spoke about the city’s 2010-11 employee health insurance renewal with Gerber Orion.

“The city has had a very good year,” Meyer said. “Claims stayed basically the same and administrative fees went up just slightly.”

She said many large employers have started health and wellness programs in an effort to reduce health insurance rates.

Alderman Terry Van Engen said the council should look into the merits of adding a health and wellness test to its insurance plan.

“I think a health and wellness test or risk appraisal might be a good thing for us to look into,” he said. “This is the wave of the future. It is important to stay proactive in monitoring health risks and staying healthy.”

City Clerk-Treasurer Joel Tauschek said the city’s health insurance rates continue to remain low, in comparison with other area employers.

The council, which approved the insurance renewal, agreed that Meyer should arrange a presentation on the benefits of health and wellness plans for an upcoming meeting.

During the regular meeting, the council approved the adoption of the city’s portion of the Sheboygan County Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation and Open Space Plan, as well as the application for state stewardship funds.

In Public Health and Welfare Committee business, the council approved a temporary Class B retailer’s (one-day beer) license application for an American Legion Post 149 event on April 11, as well as an electrical journeyman license application for Tim Braun.

The council met in closed session to conduct interviews for an open position on the city of Sheboygan Falls Fire and Police Commission.

The next Sheboygan Falls Common Council meeting will be held Tuesday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at the City Hall Municipal Building.