At the October 26 meeting of the Chatfield City Council, Maria McCarty, civil engineer at Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., presented the plan to update the wastewater treatment facility. Mayor John McBroom and councilors Pam Bluhm and Mike Urban were absent.
The plan was presented during a public hearing to get public comment before it will be submitted to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The current facility, which was primarily constructed in 2005, is aging. It does not have adequate sludge storage and has non-native reed beds. The reed beds are near capacity.
The updated facility should meet 2050 needs. There is no need for capacity expansion. Included in the plan is an adherence to future nitrogen limits.
McCarty offered two alternatives for handling of solids: native reeds and aerated storage, or aerobic digestion and biosolids land application. She recommended the first alternative.
The estimated project cost is $18.6 million; this includes the cost for all improvements at once. Once the plan is submitted to MPCA in November 2026, approval could come in the spring of 2027. Construction could begin in 2029 with completion in late summer of 2030. She reviewed possible funding sources. Sewer costs for residents could also increase significantly.
There were no comments from the public. A resolution was adopted approving the wastewater treatment facility upgrades identified in the Facilities Plan.
Other Business in Brief
•Ordinance 486 Mayor and City Council Pay was approved as drafted, as was its publication. The pay increase will go into effect in 2027; the last adjustment in pay was six years ago.
•A Severe Weather Policy was approved as recommended by the Personnel Budget Committee.
•A purchase offer of $60,000 for 1622 Enterprise Drive was approved.
•Allen Jaeger was appointed/hired as a Patrol Officer.
•Approval was granted for the acquisition of a parcel from Northern Natural Gas. City Administrator Michele Peterson said the city owns the adjacent land. Northern Natural Gas will remove infrastructure, fencing and rock. There will be two driveways into the parcel.
•Rocky Burnett explained how they can convert an old squad car into a response vehicle. There will be some cost for graphics and an iPad. Approval was granted to go ahead with the conversion.
•The Committee of the Whole met prior to the city council meeting. Financial Planning was updated and reviewed with Kay Wangen and Mike Bubany.
•The Personnel Policy Update, Article XXI Outside Employment was approved. Rules and limits applying to outside employment are in the policy.
•An updated job description for Finance Director and IT Coordinator was approved.
•Samantha Grabau was added to the roster as a volunteer EMT.
•Library donations in the amount of $60 from Stitch Witches and $500 from CVC Foundation were accepted.
•Ambulance fund drive donation in the amount of $2,655 was accepted.
•Fire department fund drive donations in the total amount of $10,835 were accepted.
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