Onalaska board approves CMAR, adopts NR 208 compliance resolution

The Board of Public Works and Utilities on Tuesday approved the City of Onalaska’s 2024 Compliance Maintenance Annual Report (CMAR) for the sanitary sewer system and adopted Resolution 14-2025 documenting compliance with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources regulation NR 208.

The CMAR shows no deficiencies and gives the city high marks in both finance and maintenance, the report’s presenter said. Board members voted unanimously to accept the report and to pass the accompanying resolution for submission to the DNR.

Jared Holter, staff member, told the board the packet contained “the sanitary sewer compliance maintenance annual report, CMAR, various 9 pages worth of data that has been compiled. We do score well. There are no deficiencies found. We did get an A in finance and in maintenance, so that's a good thing.”

Holter said Onalaska does not operate a wastewater treatment plant; the city’s system consists of relatively small lift stations and pumps, so energy use is much lower than in systems with treatment plants. He said the city purchases higher-quality pumps during station rehabilitation to gain better energy performance during design and construction, and that there is not sufficient energy use at present to justify a separate energy study focused on pumps.

Mayor Kim Smith moved to accept the CMAR and submit it with the accompanying resolution; Alder Larry Jurasic seconded. The motion and the resolution (14-2025) passed unanimously.

The resolution submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources cites the findings summarized in the CMAR and formally documents the city’s compliance with NR 208 reporting requirements. The board recorded no follow-up assignments beyond submission.

The CMAR and the resolution will be filed with the city’s records and submitted to the DNR as required by state regulation.