Planning continues for public works garage
By Angie Landsverk
The city of Weyauwega is in the early stages of planning for a new public works facility on Old Mill Street.
The city garage by the wastewater treatment is on property owned by Agropur.
That is related to an amended industrial service agreement between the city and Agropur.
The common council approved it in the spring of 2017.
An expansion project at Agropur resulted in the need for upgrades at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Agropur agreed to help fund the additional capacity through monthly user charges.
Expansion of the plant was completed in 2016.
The amended agreement included the sale of about 2.22 acres of city property to Agropur.
The city and Agropur agreed the city would lease the garage back at no cost for at least four years.
At any time beyond the first 2 1/2 years, Agropur has the right to give the city an 18-month notice to vacate the premises.
City Administrator Jeremy Schroeder said the city needs to have something in the “next two to four years roughly.”
When the council met last month, it authorized Cedar Corporation to make adjustments to a “very preliminary/conceptual drawing for consideration,” he said.
The firm is doing so at a cost of $2,400.
Once the council has a better idea from a conceptual drawing, square footage can be determined, Schroeder said.
Consolidating into a single facility
Ald, Keith Najdowski said the city wants to do the project in phases, so there is not a large impact on the city’s capital budget.
Schroeder said the city’s garage houses a variety of equipment, including the yard waste site tractor and plow, wastewater plant tractor to move sludge, lawn mower and almost all the maintenance tools.
The garage is for the wastewater plant and also for street equipment, he said.
It has two large garage doors for the two tractors and various shelving and bins for parts, small equipment such as pumps and street equipment, Schroeder said.
He said a new facility could have space for housing all the equipment and tools of the city’s various departments.
The equipment and tools are currently spread out between six different locations because the Public Works Department has never had its own facility, Schroeder said.
It uses other facilities, such as the old fire station behind City Hall and the Well 1 garage.
The garage at the park is used for the park’s mowing and maintenance equipment.
He said the Old Mill Street garage houses trailers for mowers, a painter and a few other things.
In addition, an agreement with Waupaca County allows the city’s large plow truck to be located at the former Lakeview Manor property.
“The goal would be to have nearly everything in one facility,” Schroeder said.