City Hall

City of Racine

730 Washington Ave.

Racine, WI 53403

www.cityofracine.org

Meeting Minutes - Draft

Wastewater Commission

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

5:30 PM

City Annex Bldg, Rm. 130

ROLL CALL

9 -

PRESENT:

EXCUSED:

Natalia Taft, John Tate II, Anthony Bunkelman, Jens Jorgensen, Jim

Sullivan, Nancy Washburn, Nick Barootian, Tony Beyer and Cory Mason

5 - Claude Lois, Marlo Harmon, Rosalind Thomas, Jack Feiner and Kevin Salb

0269-26

Subject: Approval of Minutes for the March 18, 2026, Wastewater

Commission Meeting

Staff Recommendation: To Approve

Fiscal Note: N/A

A motion was made by Bunkelman, seconded by Washburn, that this file be

Approved.

0270-26

Subject: Request by the Village of Mount Pleasant for a Sanitary Sewer

Extension for 2235 Newman Road

Staff Recommendation: To Approve

Fiscal Note: N/A

The Utility Director presented the sewer extension request for 2235 Newman Rd. The

Village of Mount Pleasant is formally requesting an exception to the sewer connection

moratorium in Meter Area 11 on behalf of the Village property owner. The connection

would involve a single-family residence located at the aforementioned address within

the Village limits. The property owner is currently experiencing failure of their septic

drain field, which is thereby causing "potential contamination" of their well, which

currently provides water to their home. The property also "pre-dates the implementation

of the sewer moratorium in this area." The anticipated average daily flows are expected

to be negligible to flow totals in this area.

A motion was made by Barootian, seconded by Washburn, that this file be

Approved. One nay vote was recorded.

0291-26

Subject: Request by the Village of Mount Pleasant for a Sanitary Sewer

Extension for Pike River Subdivision

Staff Recommendation: To Approve

Fiscal Note: N/A

The Utility Director presented the sewer extension request for the Sanctuary at Pike

River Subdivision located in the Village of Mount Pleasant. The extension will serve 95

single-family parcels within this proposed new subdivision. Per Sewer Agreement

Section 3.3a, the Commission is required to approve all SSR party sanitary sewer

extensions, provided they meet the requirements detailed in the section. The extension

entails approximately 4,142 L.F. of 8" diameter PVC sanitary sewer. The anticipated

average daily flows are expected to be well within the allocated conveyance and

treatment capabilities.

A motion was made by Bunkelman, seconded by Washburn, that this file be

Approved.

0292-26

Subject: Communication Sponsored by Commissioner Jorgensen,

regarding consideration of Sewer Ordinance Amendments

Recommendation of the Wastewater Commission on 4-15-2026: To

Recommend Approval of Ordinance 0002-26, and Refer the

Recommendation to the Finance and Personnel Committee for

Consideration

Recommendation of the Finance and Personnel Committee on

05-11-2026: To Approve.

Fiscal Note: N/A

The Utility Director presented proposed amendments that would amend City of Racine

ordinances that pertain to wastewater on the topics of General Pretreatment

Requirements, making the code more enforceable. These changes would also serve to

harmonize the language between the code, Enforcement Response Plan (ERP) and

current industrial permitting.

Discussion ensued amongst the Commission regarding the desire to amend the

"General Manager" language on the ordinance to "Utility Director;" however, it was

pointed out by the City Attorney that in an effort to remain synonymous with the

language of the original Sewer Agreement, that it should preferably stay as is for now.

A motion was made by Jorgensen, seconded by Tate II, that this file be

Approved and Referred to the Finance and Personnel Committee.

0293-26

Subject: Communication from Utility Director Regarding Facility Plan

Amendment Study Updates

Staff Recommendation: To Approve

Fiscal Note: N/A

The Utility Director reminded the Commission of the Utility being previously approved

to embark on a Facility Plan amendment study in 2025 to facilitate pre-engineering for

future plant expansion. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) that was formed,

together with the consulting engineering firms (Strand Associates, Inc. as well as

Brown & Caldwell), then met with the WI-DNR. The DNR recommendation was to

continue with I/I plans as well as examining capacity allocations. The Utility Director

relayed that the new intent of the TAC would be to pivot the focus of the study to follow

suit with the DNR's recommendation.

Discussion ensued amongst the Commission with concerns that all of the time and

research spent looking at avenues to pursue the facility plant expansion option, and

the time spent negotiating over the last 9 years would be wasted if the study's focus

were to be pivoted.

A motion was made to defer this item for a month in order to allow the consulting firm,

Strand Associates, Inc. to be present at the next meeting to discuss the ramifications

and consequences of pivoting at this point in time with regard to the progress made

with negotiations.

A motion was made by Mason, seconded by Jorgensen, that this file be

Deferred.

0294-26

Subject: Consideration of Professional Services Agreement with

Applied Technologies for 2026 CIPP Lining and CCTV Project

Management

Staff Recommendation: To Approve

Fiscal Note: $11,200 and CIPP costs from Interceptor Maintenance

Account and Interceptor Improvements CIP.

The Utility Director presented a proposed agreement for Applied Technologies that

would assist with the Utility's efforts in following a CMOM program (Capacity,

Management, Operation, and Maintenance). Currently, the Utility is on a 10-year

televising schedule that started in 2021, but due to CCTV activities falling behind the

last two budget cycles, the Utility is in danger of not meeting the DNR requirements.

The proposed agreement would allow Applied Technologies to manage the CMOM

activities for the Utility in 2026.

A motion was made by Jorgensen, seconded by Mason, that this item be

Deferred. The motion FAILED by the following vote:

3 -

AYES:

Tate II

Jorgensen

Mason

6 -

NOES:

Taft

Bunkelman

Sullivan

Washburn

Barootian

Beyer

5 -

EXCUSED:

Lois

Harmon

Thomas

Feiner

Salb

A motion was made by Washburn , seconded by Bunkelman, that this item be