Town water projects continue in Lind

With the final pay request to close the Waste Water Treatment Plant approved by the Lind Town Council at its regular meeting on Oct. 14 the town prepared to move forward with securing funding for its Stormwater project.

The final reimbursement request for the sludge pit and the installation of surveillance and security systems totaled at $18,517.73.

Mayor Jamie Schmunk delivered the engineering update for Alan Gay of Stantech in lieu of his absence.

For the Well project the news was not good. For a second time no bids had been received from contractors by the town. In his report, presented by Schmunk, Gay said contractors were concerned about the electrical specifications of the project as well as the liability of reusing the old line shaft on well seven with a new pump. Schmunk also reported she had learned that companies who do well projects do not like to do well abandonments. She said Gay was looking into splitting the project components up to make the project more desirable for potential bidders.

She also told the council that while at the Infrastructure Conference the week prior she had received information about the Stormwater grant.

“They told us in uncertain terms that your Stormwater Grant has to be very technical and it has to be very specific to how it is going to improve water quality,” Schmunk said.

She said that while the damage to the town caused by storm water run-off is important that the grant application needs to focus on preventing the WWTP from becoming filled with the run-off which could lead to pollution of the Lind Coulee and the Potholes State Park.

Mayor Schmunk also requested on behalf of Gay that the town take action of the new contract from Stantech regarding the funding for grant writing. The contract would have the town pay a flat rate fee of $3,500 to cover grant-writing expenses for Stantech. In previous years funding was able to be aquired through the grant, however, companies are now being forced to charge for grant writing services in advance. The council voted unanimously to approve the contract. In the agreement Stantech estimated the cost of grant writing at $7,000.

After presenting the engineering update Schmunk then gave her mayor’s update.

The town received an estimate on what it would cost to get the street lights running again, the cost of which came to $4,647.60 to install a 200-amp lighting panel and to run wire to each side of the street. Schmunk then reported the town would be collecting other estimates to complete the project.

The town then set the date for the community clean-up day for Nov. 1 and approved the claims and payroll totaling $63,852.63.

The council then addressed issues with some of the town’s ordinances, specifically confusion regarding animal permitting requirements for Ag/Suburban zones. Residents in Ag/Suburban zones are required to submit an application to the town along with a fee in order to be allowed by the town to have large livestock animals within the town limits.

Historically the town has required an application and a fee for each animal one the property. The council felt however that the wording of the ordinance and the permit application made it seem like there could be multiple animals covered by one permit and therefore one fee. The council agreed unanimously that this be the practice of the town.

Mayor Schmunk also directed Councilperson Kathy White to investigate the school animal barns to ensure a uniform application of fees and permitting by the town.

The council then discussed the necessity of uniformity in how the town handles notifications.

Sharon Englehart then presented the council with photos of the south side of town where she lives. She was concerned about how the Stormwater planning meeting had not covered this side of town. The photos showed washed out areas near the road. Also shown in the photos was a ditch that has collected trash including a full sized couch.

The council then gave its reports at the end of the meeting with Paula Bell expressing concern over the need for watering and weeding at the town parks and White asking that the town send out thank you letters to applicants.