Madison reviews 2025–2029 infrastructure improvement plan; city staff outlines projects and funding options

Madison city staff presented and the commission acknowledged a 2025–2029 Infrastructure Improvement Plan on the agenda, outlining major water, sanitary sewer, drainage and street reconstruction projects and options for funding them.

The plan, prepared by Banner Associates with city staff, lays out construction and study projects by year, from multiple active 2025 projects to smaller identified work through 2029. Weston Blasius, consultant with Banner Associates, said the plan focuses on projects that “would significantly impact the community” and excludes routine maintenance such as chip seals or small sidewalk work. He listed current 2025 construction projects including water and sanitary replacements on South Union Avenue and Highland Avenue, flood-control reconstruction at Park Creek Walls (partially funded by FEMA), and sanitary repairs tied to a failing manhole at Fifth and Blanche.

Ryan, a city staff member presenting the item, said the plan is a five-year strategic document intended to prioritize design, coordinate work across departments and align projects to funding opportunities. He said the plan will be updated annually and is intended to reduce emergency repairs by scheduling preventative maintenance and coordinating alignments with private development.

The presentation included projected financing approaches. Using a 30-year amortization at a 3.75% interest rate, staff showed a simple calculation that would translate the full five‑year plan cost into about $13.10 per customer per month for water and sewer combined, based on “around 3,400 customers,” Ryan said. He and Weston urged a formal rate study before adopting any changes to rates; Weston said Banner would perform such a study and gave a conservative budgetary estimate of $75,000 for the work.

Commissioner Dibdahl asked whether the $13.10 figure represented a one-time increase or a phased approach; Ryan and Blasius said the rate study would recommend structure and timing options, noting alternatives such as a single large increase or smaller incremental increases over time. Ryan also described using a mix of funding sources — reserves, user-rate financing, state and federal loan or grant programs — and said most reserves have already been appropriated to prior projects, so future work would likely require rate revenue or external financing.

No formal commission action to change rates or to fund projects was taken at the meeting; the item on the agenda was an acknowledgment of the plan and staff sought direction and input. Ryan said any specific project advances or financing decisions would return to the commission for formal approval.

The plan identifies studies and modeling needs in addition to construction, including a multi‑phase wastewater collection system evaluation, a water-distribution model update and a water/sewer rate study. Weston noted the city completed the previous rolling plan with many of those projects, using a combination of Rural Development loans, American Rescue Plan Act funds and State Revolving Fund loans to complete large scopes of work in the last five years.

Commissioners and staff discussed timing for any rate action and next steps for the rate study. Ryan recommended completing the rate study before implementing any rate increases; he said staff could consider implementing changes in either 2026 or 2027 depending on study results and funding opportunities.

The commission did not vote on rates or specific project funding during the meeting; the presentation and staff responses served as the formal acknowledgment and informational briefing.