Planning and design work for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant continues to move forward according to a report to the city council by City Engineer Dave Schechinger (with Veenstra & Kimm, Inc.) during the council’s regular meeting Wednesday, Dec. 3.
The existing facility will continue to serve as part of the collection system with a trunk sewer running south (under Hwy. 382) to the new facility, which will have room to expand as the city’s population continues to grow. An array of aeration basins, digesters, clarifiers, and sludge handling equipment will process the sewage sludge while an ultraviolet (UV) system will provide final treatment of the water before discharge into Mill Creek.
City Administrator Cami Rasmussen expressed her thanks to Schechinger and Veenstra & Kimm staff for their efforts thus far in research and preliminary design.
“Not only have they been traipsing around the country with us looking at sewer plants, but there’s a lot of time and effort that’s gotten us to this point. This is going to be the biggest project the city will ever undertake.”
Rasmussen addressed funding for the project noting the city has not bonded for it yet and has secured a $3 million planning and design loan through the State Revolving Fund (SRF). The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) provides SRF dollars to communities to assist in the design and construction of wastewater treatment facilities, rehabilitation of sewer lines, stormwater quality improvement projects, rehabilitation of wastewater systems, and other water quality improvements. The DNR oversees development of an Intended Use Plan (IUP); review of facility plans, bidding documents, and issuance of wastewater construction permits; environmental reviews; determination of eligible project costs; and final inspection of constructed improvements. The IFA reviews financial information and executes planning and design loans and construction loans.
“So far we’ve submitted about $100,000 in engineering invoices so far, so the bulk of that $3 million is still available,” Rasmussen said. “That design loan is interest-free and that amount rolls into the construction bond.”
The council approved the engineering agreement with Veenstra & Kimm unanimously.
Project Timeline
Jan. 2023 – City initiates facility planning process
October 2025 – Submit facility plan to Iowa DNR
Dec. 2025 – Submit IUP (Intended Use Plan) application for Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan
Dec. 2025-Jan. 2027 – Design of new wastewater facility
Feb. 2027 – Receive bids for facility construction
March 2027-June 2029 – Construction of new facility
June 2029 – Completion
Council approves FY25 year end budget report
In other action last Wednesday, City Administrator Rasmussen reviewed the Fiscal Year (FY) 25 year end budget report. FY 25 ended June 30.
Among the highlights, Rasmussen noted, were:
• Closing out the Chabal and Elm Street water main project, made possible through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds (federal) and reconstruction of a deteriorating section of Prairie Rose Lane.
• The former Brosh Chapel at 100 S. Cedar St. was purchased for renovating into a new City Hall.
• The current City Hall will be put up for sale as part of the Downtown Expansion Project. In addition the city also purchased 121 N. Dubuque Street as the final property acquired as part of the North Street Project.
• The city intends to also sell the former fire station as part of the Downtown Expansion Project. It is expected the station and city hall will remain standing and be repurposed into Council-approved commercial business development while the North Street vacant lots will also be utilized for commercial development.
• The Capital Equipment Replacement Schedule continued with $110,000 set aside for future capital equipment purchases.
On June 30 the General Fund showed a balance of $3,377,848 with $2,864,734 in reserves, with revenues of $2,841,741, and expenditures of $4,018,147. The FY 25 balance, reserves, and revenues were all up over the final tallies from FY 24 while expenditures were down $55,243 over the previous year.
Property taxes, permits, and fees generated $2,246,846 in general fund revenue, up $204,000 from the previous year. There were also increases in road use tax interest and revenue generated by the library, recreation department, and from garbage/recycling.
General fund expenditures were nearly $56,000 less in FY 25 than the previous year despite increases in emergency services, library, parks, recreation, Mayor-council-legal-engineering fees, property purchases, and garbage/recycling. The city spent $227,000 less on financial administration, however.
No action was taken by the council regarding the report.