Menomonee Falls honors EMS leaders as public works lays out 2025 capital and flood repairs

Menomonee Falls trustees recognized two longtime emergency-service contributors and received a public-works briefing on the village’s 2025 capital program and repairs after an August storm.

Fire Chief Pobbermacher presented community-service awards to Dr. Dennis Shepherd, the department’s longtime medical director, and to firefighter Ryan McMenamin, who survived serious on-the-job injuries and has since shared lessons learned with local crews. ‘‘I’m both honored and humbled to receive this recognition,’’ Dr. Shepherd said, praising local EMS personnel and stressing the importance of prehospital care and timely field-to-hospital communication. McMenamin said he was ‘‘honored to be here’’ and described his intention to pass on lessons from the incident to improve training and performance.

After the awards, Public Works Director Thomas Poppin reviewed projects completed and planned for 2025. Poppin summarized roadway and stormwater work including the Overview Drive bridge rehabilitation (a state co-funded project), Grand Avenue reconstruction with new storm sewer to handle sump-pump discharge, Optimus Way reconstruction in Village Park to add parking and sidewalk access, and replacement of two pedestrian bridges at Rotary Park and Lime Kiln Park. He said three water-main replacements were completed (MacArthur, Elmwood, Theodore) and described ongoing trenching, lateral replacements and coordination with contractors Mid City, MJ Construction and Underground Pipeline Incorporated.

Poppin detailed emergency repairs after the August 10 storm: washed-out culverts and undermined roadway sections on Lily Road and Campbell Drive, erosion at Village Park and commercial properties, and damage to some public vehicles. He said Butine Peterson, Mid City and Blaze Contracting performed much of the stabilizing and cleanup work; an emergency declaration allocated about $800,000 to repairs, with a few project totals still being finalized. On Campbell Drive, Poppin said the DOT-linked design was nearly complete and the project was bid and awarded to Musson Brothers, with precast culverts scheduled for winter installation.

Trustees pressed staff for comparative budgeting information to show what a given investment accomplishes over time. Poppin said he will include a historical road-rating and spending snapshot in the capital budget presentation due before the board in two weeks and noted final surface work on Menomonee Avenue would follow spring weather conditions; he estimated normal spring start dates if conditions permit.

The presentation concluded with trustees thanking staff for emergency response and clean-up efforts and expressing interest in clearer, multi-year spending visuals when the capital budget is presented.