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Marshall board approves $65,000 for WWTP evaluation and water/sewer rate study
Summary
The Village Board authorized up to $65,000 from the Utilities Fund Balance to contract Town & Country Engineering ($39,000) for a wastewater treatment plant evaluation and Ehlers ($26,000) for a water and sewer rate study; both studies aim to inform a phased 20‑year facilities plan and future rate adjustments.
Marshall’s Village Board voted Dec. 10 to authorize up to $65,000 from the Utilities Fund Balance to fund a wastewater treatment plant evaluation and a separate water and sewer rate study.
Director of Public Works Matt Pitzer said the Wastewater Treatment Plant dates to 1997 and has had no major improvements since; the proposed approach is to combine a Town & Country Engineering facilities evaluation ($39,000) with an Ehlers rate study ($26,000) so the work can be coordinated. Town & Country engineer Ben Heideman said municipalities commonly develop 20‑year facility plans and that the likely outcome would be a phased set of upgrades and a la carte options.
Why it matters: no water or sewer rate increases have occurred in almost a decade. The studies are intended to define necessary capital investments and to align future loan repayments with utility revenues rather than tax funding.
The Board approved a motion by Trustee Jason Pitzer to spend up to $65,000 of 2025 budgeted funds from the utility fund balance; the vote was unanimous, 6‑0. Administrator Brandon Bledsoe and staff said the rate study had been budgeted and that the Utilities Fund Balance is sufficient to cover the contracts.
