Fredonia board schedules public hearing on wastewater facilities plan and adopts 24.7% sewer rate increase to qualify for state loan

Strand Engineering told the Village of Fredonia Board that major portions of the village’s wastewater treatment plant are past their useful life and need replacement, and trustees voted this meeting to schedule a public hearing on the facilities plan and to approve a sewer-rate increase to make the project financeable.

Phil DuSec of Strand Engineering presented an overview of the facilities plan, saying much of the plant’s equipment is “over 40 years old” and “well beyond its design life.” The plan would convert existing tanks to an extended aeration system, demolish the primary clarifier and the BioTower, add a third final clarifier for redundancy, replace the mechanical fine screen, build a new chemical/phosphorus removal building, and install a larger generator so the plant can run in a power loss. DuSec said the base bid for the tightly linked items is estimated at $4.3 million and the total of all bid alternatives is about $8.2 million. He described a base-bid plus bid-alternatives procurement strategy that would let the village choose work based on final bids and budget.

Administrator Jenkins told the board the project would pursue Wisconsin DNR review and clean-water financing. DuSec outlined the schedule: submit the facilities plan to the DNR (a roughly 90-day review), prepare 90% drawings by mid-2026, then bid and seek contract award in late 2026 with construction potentially completing by December 2028. He noted that the DNR requires a public hearing and that the village must advertise a 30-day comment period for the facilities plan.

Trustees pressed DuSec and staff about interim risks and parts lead times. Members noted pumps and internal equipment in the BioTower have already failed and asked whether the village should spend on temporary repairs before construction begins. DuSec agreed some interim measures might be necessary but emphasized the plan aims to minimize additional investment in equipment the village intends to replace.

To preserve funding options, the board voted to set a public hearing on the wastewater treatment facilities plan for Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. Administrator Jenkins said the Clean Water Fund requires an intent-to-apply/performance evaluation form by Oct. 31 to be placed on the funding list; the loan program can include principal forgiveness that reduces the village’s borrowing needs.

At the same meeting the board adopted Resolution 2025-15, approving a 24.7% increase in sewer rates. Administrator Jenkins said the increase is intended to improve the sewer fund’s financial metrics, increase reserves and coverage, and help the village qualify for lower-interest Clean Water Fund loans and partial principal forgiveness. Jenkins explained the board’s approach has been to ramp rates over time to avoid a single large spike in charges. Trustees debated whether to delay increases but agreed that moving forward now keeps borrowing costs lower and helps secure bids at 2026 price levels.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to set a public hearing on the wastewater treatment facilities plan for Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m.: passed (roll-call vote). - Resolution 2025-15 (approve 24.7% sewer rate increase): passed (roll-call vote, unanimous). - Consent agenda (Sept. 4 minutes, invoices, temporary Class B license for Divine Savior Catholic Church trivia night): passed (roll-call vote, unanimous). - Certified survey map CSM 2025-01 (Village of Fredonia; Bruce & Deborah Pappy; Jennifer & William Watrie): passed (roll-call vote, unanimous).

What happens next: staff will finalize the facilities plan for submission to the Wisconsin DNR, advertise the required 30-day public comment period, and collect public input at the Nov. 6 hearing. The board’s rate increase and the village’s intent-to-apply submission are intended to strengthen the village’s position for Clean Water Fund financing; actual loan terms and project scope will depend on DNR review and final bid results.