Town of Oconomowoc

Board of Supervisors Special Meeting – Mill Street Dam/Bridge

June 2, 2008

Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance:

Chairman Hultquist called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance. Present were Chairman Hultquist, Supervisors John Roelandts, Janis Husak, Brian Wiemer, and John Koepke. Also present were Town Attorney William Chapman, Police Chief James Wallis, Highway Superintendent Owen Salzman, Administrator/Planner Jeff Herrmann, and Clerk/Treasurer Terry Leaman.

There were 24 people in attendance.

1. Public comments on Agenda Items:

Chairman Hultquist asked Bill Peebles, N88W37788 Mapleton Rd, to report on his search for funds for the dam. Bill said he found two sources of funding of which only one might be eligible, $50,000.00. The DNR will not endorse the replacement of the Dam only the removal. Bill suggested the Town contact the Army Corps of Engineers because of the possible loss of wetlands if the Dam is not replaced.

2. Discussion of Mead & Hunt proposal for the Mill Street Dam/Bridge:

Administrator Herrmann handed out copies of the proposal to the residents in attendance.

a) Reconstruction of the dam = $770,850.00

b) Removal of the dam = $234,600.00

These are the two options available to the Town.

Chairman Hultquist indicated that the Town needs more information regarding Grant money that might be available before the Town can act.

Bill Peebles indicated that the Grant providers need a letter from the Town that the Town owns the dam.

Dick Mace from Waukesha County Parks and Land Use indicated that the Town should investigate several sources; Army Corps of Engineers, Ducks Unlimited, and the National Wildlife Federation.

Joanne Kraut - N83W37836 Division St - she lives on the south side of the Mill Pond and would like to have water versus no water. Her property value is lessened with the current conditions.

Dick Mace – If the Town takes ownership of the dam how would payments be made to pay for it? Would it be spread across the tax base or over the local residents?

Attorney Chapman responded that if it’s not a public improvement the Town can’t Special Assess. If it is a public improvement those who benefit from the improvement could be assessed.

Joanne Kraut – If there are only 12 property owners the costs will be too excessive.

Gordon Fleury – N83W37948 Chestnut St. – Waukesha County owns 780 acres of marsh land and watershed. What does Waukesha County prefer?

Marilisa Sieczkowski – W380N8453 Mill St – There are different types of benefits. There are acres of wildlife. We don’t know how many. How would the wildlife be affected if the mill pond was gone? How would the Ashippun Fire Department get water if the Mill Pond was gone? There are property owners upstream that benefit as well.

Dick Mace – Duane Grimm is the Parks Manager. The Rester Nature Center could help as well. They might help with impact of the removal on a large scale.

Jan Husak – She understands that there is a deadline of June 15, 2008 with the DNR to make a decision. Do the Roth’s need to request an extension?

John Koepke – He thinks there are 290-300 acres of wetlands that are affected by the Mill Pond and Ashippun Lake. On 8/1/07 the water level was ordered to be lowered. The marsh was low during the rainy season. His grandfather cleared and farmed the area. The dam was functioning at the time and the pond level was down when the Mill was active.

Supervisor Koepke took a trip through three locations along the Ashippun River. At the Mapleton Community Center the river is gentle and very nice flow. He went to the Mill Pond and the Peebles and Roth properties. There was a lot of dirt where the Mill Pond used to be and it was very mucky.

He feels the Board need to attack this problem and build a dam.

Administrator Herrmann asked if the residents were willing to get together to help pay the costs.

Several residents offered to help raise funds.

Jan Husak questioned whether the Town could borrow the funds through Ehlers and Associates. If the Town could borrow the funds it does not impact the 2% tax increase but can impact the annual expense budget.

Bob Hultquist mentioned that Joel Kleefisch wanted the Mill Pond to remain and was going to look for Sate money for the project. He has not heard any thing from Rep. Kleefisch.

Peter Heinrich – N83W37888 Division St. – Does a public access change anything as far as the number of residents that can be charged? There is already a public access on the end of Michigan St.

Jim Roth – N83W87386 Division St. – He has been getting calls on the water levels. The dam must have an impact on Ashippun Lake. Should the lake be part of the assessment?

John Roelandts – There is a noticeable impact on Ashippun Lake whether the boards are in or out. He mentioned that the Mill Pond affects a large portion of the township and that if the town removes the dam they need to do a study to evaluate the wetlands.

He is in favor of rebuilding the dam. He mentioned that the Roth’s need to come forth with what they want to do. The Town needs to explore every option. He mentioned that here we are at another meeting with nothing accomplished. He wants to know where the Town is going with the project.

Jeff Herrmann asked to hear from the Roth’s.

Bob Hultquist mentioned that with the addition of the Ashippun Lake residents there would be a total of 48 that could be specially assessed.

Richard Roth – N84W38077 Beaman – The Roth’s would like things to stay the way they were. They can’t afford to fix the dam. They are willing to work with the Town. They are willing to participate financially but only if the dam is rebuilt. They are prepared to give the dam to the Town with conditions.

John Roelandts suggested Administrator Herrmann sit with the Roth’s to understand the conditions. He wants minimal cost to the Town. The Town needs to explore funding options.

John Koepke mentioned that the Town needs to have possession of the dam. If the Town borrows $1M @ 5% it would cost $65,000.00 a year for 30 years. It would cost $250,000.00 to tear out the dam. If the Town borrows $500,000.00 the cost would be $32,000.00 a year.

Supervisor Koepke mentioned that he is investigating the possibility of generating green power from this dam and the Okauchee dam. There is a possibility to cover the cost of the street lights.

Jeff Herrmann asked the Roth’s to make a list including conditions of donating the dam. The Roth’s also need to request an extension. The Town should send a letter as well to support the extension.

Dick Mace suggested that the Town might hire an environmental consulting firm to evaluate the impact of a draw down of the dam.

John Koepke asked what the intent of the Parks department was in regard to the wetlands. There are no detailed plans on how the land will be developed.

Chairman Hultquist thanked the residents for attending.

Supervisor Roelandts made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Supervisor Husak seconded the motion. The motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 5:48 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________

Terry A. Leaman

Clerk/Treasurer