The Public Utilities Committee signed off on the city’s required annual stormwater report and dug into a recurring resident pain point: leaks that can run for weeks before the city’s current meters flag them. They also got a staffing update at the wastewater plant and multiple project status check-ins, including lead service line work.
No public comments or communications recorded for this meeting.
The committee discussed how the current monthly meter-reading cycle can leave residents with leaks running for weeks before the utility detects unusual use and reaches the owner—often more than 30 days after the leak starts. They directed staff to investigate whether switching to newer meter technology (including the possibility of a faster, full-scale replacement instead of the current 5%-per-year cycle) would improve early leak detection. On bill relief, they stuck with the existing April 2023 sewer-credit policy and reiterated a hard line: no credit if the water went down a floor drain, because the treatment plant still has to process it.
Director Heckenlaible asked for approval to sign and submit the city’s 2025 MS4 annual stormwater report to the Wisconsin DNR by March 31, and the committee approved it. This is routine compliance, but it matters because it’s one of the few standardized ways residents can track what the city is doing on stormwater education, inspections, and pollution prevention year to year. The report was described as available for review at City Hall (Engineering counter).
Staff reported the city’s Urban Non-Point Stormwater Grant timeline has been extended through November 2026 after delays tied to consultant communication, and the DNR approved the extension. The city has a draft city-wide stormwater quality plan in hand, but staff review still hasn’t happened; they said a fuller update to the committee and council should come in 30–60 days. When consultant delays push deadlines, the practical impact is simple: planning and on-the-ground improvements slide too.
The committee was told wastewater operator Dave Casebeer resigned, with April 30 as his last day. Staff said Shawn Taddy will take over, Kevin Garceau will become Lead Operator, and Edward Gilmer will move from the street division to wastewater to keep staffing levels up. This is an operational continuity issue—important mainly because wastewater is a 24/7 public health function that can’t be left short-handed.
Staff outlined a proposed $494,000 WPPI loan over 10 years at 1.0% interest to pay for several utility needs: replacing the Water Utility’s emergency generator automatic transfer switch (from 2025), plus a security camera system for the electrical substation and a second electric meter order. The camera system and meter order are currently on hold until WPPI’s board acts, which staff expected at the March 18 meeting. For residents, the key takeaway is timing: projects are being queued up behind financing approval.
Director Heckenlaible discussed a memo responding to concerns raised at a prior City Council meeting about how the city communicates with properties affected by lead service lateral replacement work. The memo acknowledges real-world gaps: not every city staffer will know what a contractor is about to do, and staffing limits mean the city estimates it only gets 15–25% construction observation, focusing on “critical” items. The committee discussion signals this is still an active issue residents should watch—especially around notice, coordination, and how problems get handled when work is underway.