Town of Lyons, Walworth County, Wisconsin : Meeting Minutes

February 2, 2009 Special Joint Meeting

 
Special Joint Meeting 
Lyons Town Board, Lyons Sanitary District II, and Country Estates
Sanitary District 
 February 2, 2009 
 
 
Present:  Town Board Supervisors Jim Shimeck and Bill Henningfield,
Clerk Karla Hill, Lyons 
Sanitary II Commissioners Brian Simon and Joe Ehlen, Sanitary II
engineer, Jim Smith, C.E.S.D. 
Commissioners Jim Miller, Robert Phillips, and Ron Belle, C.E.S.D.
Engineer, Brandon Foss and 
C.E.S.D. Engineering Technician, Dean Logterman. Superintendent for
Sanitary II, Kris Gauger and 
Secretary for C.E.S.D., Cindy Ganka were also present in the audience.
 Approximately 19 additional 
residents were also present. Also present was Richard Blackburn,
commissioner appointment to be 
considered at this meeting. 
 
Meeting was called to order at 6:30pm, notice was read by William
Henningfield. 
Motion was made by Shimeck to approve the appointment of Richard
Blackburn as Sanitary District II 
commissioner, seconded by Henningfield, Carried. 
1.) USDA Grant & Loan Updates –January 12th conference with USDA rep
was cancelled due to 
illness. C.E.S.D. is applying for a grant and 40-year loan
combination. % of grant funds would 
be based on C.E.S.D. ability to pay. 
2.) Hydrogen Sulfide Issue – Current readings show Hydrogen Sulfide
levels at 1.2. Acceptable 
level would be.2, so the problem is not solved.  C.E.S.D. supplied
records from their operator, 
Pat Prahl, as to amounts of Bioxide being used.  All agreed that
Bioxide levels should be kept 
at 13 and should not be altered until another test was completed.
Sanitary II reiterated the 
importance of keeping Bioxide treatment at a constant level and that
adjustments should only 
be made after qtrly tests were fully analyzed. 
3.) Sampling/Metering Station – Brandon Foss led the discussion about
possible placement of the 
station. There was much discussion about placement in the railroad
right of way at the west 
side of Church Street. There is some concern as to whether setbacks,
etc. applied by 
Walworth County would make an above ground station feasible. It was
decided that Brandon 
Foss would complete an application to the DNR for permit of an above
ground structure in the 
railroad right of way. 
4.) Wastewater Treatment Plant Update – Jim Smith gave out a time line
of the plant expansion 
(attached). Cost is estimated between 3.8 and 4.2 million dollars. 
5.) Discussion of Updated User Charges- Norma Miller was given the
floor to ask questions of the 
Sanitary Districts in regards to the two raises of sewer charges in
2008. Rates were 6.02/1000 
gal in august of 2006. May of 2008 rates were raised to what Lyons II
was paying, 8.04/1000 
gal to comply with contract signed between districts on March 10,
2008. April of 2009 rates 
were again raised in both districts to 9.85/1000gal to accommodate the
engineering phase of 
the new wastewater treatment plant. Sanitary II estimates the rates
may change several more 
times in the upcoming year based on bid price and final construction
costs of the new plant. 
The question of whether C.E.S.D. was being charged the same sewage
treatment rate as 
Sanitary II customers was again discussed. Jim Smith had a visual
chart presentation 
(attached) that explained the upcoming rate and comparison between the
two districts. The 
presentation attempted to show that the same rate was being applied
per each 1000 gallons of 
sewage treated for both districts. Jim Smith also presented a pie
chart showing C.E.S.D. 
residents that only 33% of their total billing goes to Lyons Sanitary
II for treatment. The 
remaining 67% is spent in house to run their own collection system,
administration, and 
repairs. The point was made that although making repairs that reduce I
& I would reduce costs 
for C.E.S.D., the cost of treating I & I was already calculated into
the relatively small portion 
(33%) that residents pay to Lyons Sanitary II.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.)  PSC Complaint/Official Acceptance of User Rate Methodology –
Lyons Sanitary II attorney 
and Kris Gauger, along with 2 board members from C.E.S.D. were present
at the initial 
hearing for the PSC complaint.  There are no plans to withdraw the
complaint.  There was 
some discussion about future hearings and possible costs to the
districts. 
 
Kevin Brierly spoke from the floor about his desire to see all parties
work together to help Country 
Estates homeowners resolve CESD financial problems. 
Jimmy Bentivenga addressed the fact that 2 commissioners from CESD had
attended the PSC 
hearing without notice that a quorum may be present. 
  
The next joint meeting was scheduled for March 16th at 6:30pm. Brandon
Foss hopes to have heard 
something on his application to the DNR by this date. Other issues as
they arise may be scheduled 
for discussion. 
 
Jim Shimeck made a motion to adjourn the Special Meeting, at 8:25pm,
seconded by Bill 
Henningfield, motion carried.  
 
 
Karla Hill, Clerk 
 
 
09-02TBSanitary
Town of Lyons, Walworth County, Wisconsin : Meeting Minutes

February 2, 2009 Special Joint Meeting

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