Germantown, WI – At a September 20, 2021, Village of Germantown board meeting, a 35-foot extension to the current water tower project was approved on a vote of 8-1, with board trustee Jolene Pieper voting against. Read more HERE.
A public hearing specific to the water tower extension project was not held. Village Administrator Steve Kreklow said, “The action for the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) is not something that requires a public hearing under state statute.
“It was noticed in the agenda, and the public was informed it was happening, and the Village Board also does have, at the beginning of every village board meeting, an opportunity for public comment.”
The extension would provide additional water service to a roughly 400-acre area on the west side of Interstate 41 at the Holy Hill Interchange in the Village of Richfield.
In a story this week WashingtonCountyInsider.com (WCI) detailed the conversations between the Village of Germantown and the Village of Richfield and how the two communities continue to move forward with the partnership despite some reservations from taxpayers.
Kreklow said they have had their finger on the pulse of the response to the project. “There’s been negative feedback,” he said. “Mostly, it’s questions and concerns that have been raised and there has been a smaller amount of positive feedback.”
“At this point…the focus has been just getting a plan in place for the discussions and determining what information we need to exchange in order to go through the next steps in negotiations,” said Kreklow.
Laying the groundwork for the negotiations has involved a good amount of staff work. “On the Germantown side I’m very involved,” said Kreklow. “The Village attorney, Brian Sajdak, is involved…from the legal aspects. The Department of Public Works director Larry Ratayczak is the point person for the technical issues and engineering-related issues that need to be addressed. I kind of work on crunching numbers and looking at the financial components of it.
“That’s basically the team we have together. Our water and sewer superintendents at times are involved to answer some of the operational questions.” Kreklow also said Community Development Director Jeff Retzlaff lends a hand with some of the components of the project, as well.
Jim Healy, administrator in the Village of Richfield, indicated the Village of Richfield had “been pursuing the idea for maybe the past five years” regarding an inter-governmental agreement with Village of Germantown for purchase of water and sewer infrastructure to service Northeast Corridor.
Read more about the Village of Richfield’s position on this issue HERE.
A call has been placed to Pieper regarding her vote against the project at the September 20, 2021 board meeting. A response will be posted when information becomes available.
The taxpayers in the Village of Germantown are also currently waiting on a decision on the proposed 83% water rate increase from the Public Service Commission. Kreklow said, “I’m waiting anxiously.”