Sunday, November 25, 2007

Storm Water Treatment plan presented to City

Sunday, November 25, 2007 - Posted 10:13:49 AM
The Minonk City Council was given the results of the 2007 Storm Water Improvement Study prepared by the Farnsworth Group, an engineering firm hired for the study. The study was commissioned by the Council to look at ways to improve the drainage of storm water from city streets.

Farnsworth engineer Bob Kohlhase said that Minonk has a “combined sewer” system and that refers to a single pipe that carries both sanitary waste water and storm water to the wastewater treatment plant which results in a key problem for the City of Minonk. Kohlhase summarized the objectives of the proposed storm water drainage improvement project as follows.

• Reduce the flooding of intersections along Locust Street.

• Reduce the flooding at 8th and Maple Avenue. (Has had more flooding since the 2002 project)

• Reduce the storm water flow to the WWTP (Water Waste Treatment Plant). This is a huge benefit to the City cost wise and on the life of the plant.

• Separate storm water from sanitary water. Helps with the flooding standpoint, but it enhances all of your drainage and takes pressure off other areas.

• Creates opportunities for future drainage improvement projects from the west side of Chestnut Street as you can tie in other areas for additional separation.

• Prevent IEPA violations and enforcement actions because of combined sewer overflow discharges.

• Extend the life of the WWTP, avoiding expansion costs. Every drop of water that you take away from storm water adds capacity to your plant.

• Storm water projects DO NOT eliminate all potential flooding.

Kohlhase said that the problem right now is that the City has only one outlet and to get a second outlet for storm water was identified as critical to truly improve the storm water management capabilities for the City. He recommended that a 24-inch storm sewer be installed from the manhole located at 7th and Chestnut Street on the existing 18-inch and attach to that a 24-inch sewer and go north approximately 3000 feet where it will discharge into an open ditch just northeast of Burrough’s. That would carry water through the ditch and over land and eventually head to Long Point Creek. All of the City’s water will be going to the same place, except that it is being managed in a different way.

Kohlhase said to enhance the drainage a “Weir” (little dam) would be put in front of the existing 18-inch storm sewer which would force the water to go east, but if it backs up it will go over the dam and go north in the new 24-inch storm sewer. The “Weir” acts as an overflow control in the event that the existing 18-inch pipe is backed up and would be designed so when water in the 18-inch is backed up it would discharge into the 24-inch pipe rather than in the streets and potentially homes.

Kohlhase also recommended enhancing the flow from Locust Street by bringing over another 18-inch sewer from 4th and Locust and connecting it into the existing 18-inch storm sewer on Oak Street. This project should be added simultaneously with the 24-inch outlet to the north.

The projected cost for the four options that were concluded from the study are:

 Option # 1----Running 48-inch sewer from east side of town, northeast approximately 8000 feet to open ditch discharge was $1,369,695.

Option # 2----Running 24-inch storm sewer from existing 18-inch storm sewer on 7th Street, north up the abandoned railroad and creating a detention pond to slowly discharge underground through existing drain tiles was $653,250

Option # 3 (Recommended)----Running a 24-inch storm sewer from existing 18-inch storm sewer on 7th Street, north up the abandoned railroad tracks, discharging into an open ditch east of Burrough’s was $361,185.

Option # 4----Locust Street Alternatives (4th, 5th, and 6th) -----Running 18-inch sewer 475 feet west to existing 18-inch sewer on Oak Street was $46,253 per block.

Alderman Sean Cunningham asked Kohlhase if he was pretty confident that this is going to solve the flooding issues on Locust Street.

Kohlhase responded yes, but added that storm water projects do not solve all problems. He said, "Sometimes nature will give you a rain that you cannot handle. You could not afford to design for a 500 year rain. You design for flooded streets and a normal street design is for a 10 year rain. You let the street be a temporary storage until the traffic jam ends and the water goes out in a few hours. You have already seen a reduction in flooding with the existing 18-inch sewer and this would basically eliminate that because you would have a new direct route out of town."

Redenius hired as Zoning Officer

The Council approved the hiring of Ron Redenius as Zoning Officer for the City of Minonk at a salary of $150 per month. Mayor Bill Koos said that those duties used to be handled by our city administrator and currently the CIty does not have one. Koos said that the City has had an increased activity in the City zoning issues and there needs to be a contact that people can go to on a regular basis to get answers to their zoning questions.  Koos added that Redenius is one of the authors of the current zoning book and is well versed in what our zoning code.

The hiring of Redenius was taken with the understanding that if the City hires another city administrator those duties would go back to the new administrator.

City Council Comments

Alderman Cunningham reported that he had a call from a constituent about leaf burning in the City and said that he would like to consider financing a process to look into vacuuming leaves up.

Mayor's Comments

• Thanked the Public Works Department for work getting caught up in preparation for winter.

• Reported that the new ambulance building is now completed and the squad has moved in.

• Announced that if there was no objection from the Council, he would like to have the next regular meeting on December 3, 2007, providing the agenda stays light, at the new ambulance shed at 7 p.m. and turn it into a City Council meeting and open house for the public to be able to come by and see the building.


                        Viewer comments on this article

Time for Change wrote on 11/27/2007 at 17:04:30

One of two things is going on within our city council. 1) They are making intensional self serving decisions with little rational thought or 2) They are making logical choices based on educated reasoning. Either way, maybe it is time that we as a community participate in meetings, because ultimately, we as a community are responsible for what they are doing. Personally, I don't agree with much of what is going (I leave my personal feelings on the ambulance shed out of this). It's time that we question their actions, choices, and how they spend our tax money in the proper forum. As long as we don't participate we permit it. It's part of living in a democratic society.


Common Sense wrote on 11/26/2007 at 08:14:27

Council is more worried about getting rid of people that work for the city then fixing the infrastructure in town. Money blown on the pipe dream Race Track. Money blown on the SMF Buildings & nothing to show for it. Money blown on fixing old city shed for ambulance shed because city crew don't want to be in same building as ambulance crew. Money blown on the sewer study with the same results from a year and half ago when it was conducted then. Short cuts on the Baseball Diamonds to save money. No Miners Trail again this year probably no money. Come on City!!! Use money wisely and quit having the alternative agendas. Do what is right for the community.


WHAT? wrote on 11/26/2007 at 05:46:33

$130K I thought they only needed to pour a new floor in half that building and it would be ready to go? I would have to agree with common sense wasn’t that the reason why we bought the SMF building? Now how much are we going to put into this building or are they just going to let it sit empty?


Tiff all the way wrote on 11/26/2007 at 05:41:03

Maybe Minonk should pull a Wenona and make the entire city tiff and fix it infrastructure this way


Common Sense IV wrote on 11/26/2007 at 05:34:12

Is the city going to do this right the first time or is going to be like everything else the cheapest they can get. Sounds like they need to start budgeting money to have on going up grades of our sewer system.


Common Sense III wrote on 11/26/2007 at 05:28:14

What about the base radio, is the city going to pay to get it moved? Including a new tower for it or are they going to buy MAS a new radio and tower?


Common Sense #2 wrote on 11/25/2007 at 18:24:50

i was also wondering why that was pushed though so fast and quietly? they spent $130,000 on that building? WOW? i also remember the mayor stating that buying the old smf buildings would be a great value and help the space problem at the ambulance shed! i guess not? and why would you want a ambulance shed in the middle of a residential area anyway?? i don't see any other town building new fire or ambulance stations in the middle of a residental area, they are usually built on the edge of town by a major highway? didn't they just put a new generator at city hall for the ambulance shed and fire dept? well im guessing they will need to spend another $15k for another new generator for the new ambulance shed?? just my thoughts?


Common Sense wrote on 11/25/2007 at 12:27:35

Why didn't the City keep the Ambulance in the newly purchased SMF Buildings like the mayor stated when purchasing those buildings? Keep all the infrastructure under one roof I think was his comment when selling the community on the idea of buying those buildings. Then they could of taken the $130,000 they spent to get the old City Building up to code for the ambulance and use it towards the much needed sewer project. Yet another example of city funds going towards pet projects.


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