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Letter clears up utilities' plans
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MONROE - A letter delivered to Mayor Ron Marsh Monday states the 8th and 9th streets reconstruction project will include replacement of all sanitary sewer on 9th Street, starting at 11th Avenue to 20th Avenue.

Marsh had previously stated in an interview Jan. 8, in the presence of Alderman Keith Ingwell, and at his public townhall meeting Jan. 14 at City Hall, that the sewer would be "fully replaced" only between 11th and 15th Avenue, and spot replacements would be done between 15th and 20th Avenue.

The two-page letter was written and presented by Gerald Ellefson, past superintendent of the city's wastewater treatment plant, who retired Dec. 27. Ellefson was responsible for drawing up the plans for the sanitary sewer portion of the project.

Ellefson stated in his letter that "all" sanitary sewer is to be replaced between 11th and 20th Avenue, except for "a short section ... just east of 15th Avenue that serves Citgo Gas Station, which is in satisfactory condition."

The entire sanitary sewer main on 9th Street between 7th and 11th Avenue was replaced in 2006. Replacements between 11th and 20th Avenue are a second phase of that project.

Ellefson also added that "all sewer laterals from the main wye connection to the terrace" are to be replaced during the reconstruction project to protect the new street from having to be excavated for faulty lateral repairs at a later date.

These laterals, according to city ordinance, are owned by the property owners, who are responsible for all maintenance and replacement costs, Ellefson noted.

If no assessments are being made to property owners for the 8th and 9th streets project, Ellefson said the cost of lateral replacements should be absorbed by the street project, not by the wastewater utility.

Marsh said property owners would not be assessed for curb, gutters and sidewalk replacement, "because state and federal money is involved, and so we don't assess," he said Jan. 13. Property owners will "not be assessed for anything," he said.

Ellefson wrote that he saw liability and cost benefits to the utility and to the community "to do all of the infrastructure in conjunction with the road replacement project."

"I realized the need to replace all defective six-inch clay tile sewer that was structurally unsound and a liability to our utility," Ellefson said.

Also, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources codes require a minimum of eight-inch diameter piping.

The 8th and 9th streets reconstruction project is scheduled to begin in early March with water and sewer work, and road construction is set to start in April. Grant money covers about 80 percent of the road construction only.

The Board of Public Works has set a special meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall to discuss various issues regarding 8th and 9th streets project.