Minutes

SEWER AND WATER COMMISSION MEETING BERLIN, WISCONSIN JANUARY 28, 2026 Roethel called the meeting to order at 4:30 P.M. Present – Commissioners Bending, Youngbauer, Roethel, and Ottman. Also, present was Supt. Malnory, City Administrator Jessi Balcom , Council Liaison Melissa Sorenson, and Utility Clerk Jennifer Langham The next item on the agenda was public appearances/correspondence. We had no public appearances or correspondence. The next item on the agenda was approval of the minutes from th e November 2025 Sewer & Water Commission Meeting. Ottman moved to approve the minutes of the November 19, 2025, Sewer & Water Commission Meeting. Bending seconded the motion, which was carried by voice vote. The next item on the agenda was the approval of financials for November and Decembe r of 2025 . Questions were answered about bills paid for the future State Hwy 91 Project, biosolid hauling done by Badger State Waste, and monthly autopayments Youngbauer moved to approve the vouchers presented for November and December of 2025. Ottman seconded the motion, which was carried by voice vote. The next item on the agenda was discussion on office updates. Malnory mentioned that one-page mailing is currently being tested and will be starting with the February or March billing. The customers will be informed via our website, Facebook, and on the February postcards (if we wait until March). Secondly, e- mail billing will also start in March. Customers will be encouraged to call us if they do not receive their bill via e-mail or would prefer a paper bill. Also mentioned was that late penalties were applied today (1/28/26) after mail (with extra days of waiting due to the extremely chilly weather). Lastly, we had our preliminary audit with our new auditors at KerberRose. We are working to get them all the information they need for the final audit in April. The next item on the agenda was discussion on DNR plant inspection. On Monday, January 26th, the DNR planned a site visit to do an inspection. Mark Staneck, our Basin Engineer, and Ashley Clark, our permit writer, did the inspection. They had questions and went through paperwork and our field reports/soil sampling results. They took a tour of the plant which included going through each building and looking at all the processes and equipment. They looked at the new Digester mixing & gas equipment and noted all the updates/upgrades we have been making. They noted that the plant was in great shape, clean, and well taken care of (this also applies to all buildings & equipment). They looked at our Effluent and sample reports and noted that the plant is running well. They discussed the next permit and that it would include a change from testing for Fecals to testing for Ecoli, which we already do on our own anyway. They said we would have to implement a Biosolids Management Program. Malnory received the official inspection report. The plant was found to be in compliance with Effluent limit and all terms and conditions of the permit. The next item on the agenda was discussion on upcoming street projects in 2026. Malnory met with Don from Kunkel (our city engineer) to go over and update the plans for the small water main & service projects on Monroe & E. Noyes St. The scope of the project will be 1 block on each street. Monroe will be N. Washington to Jackson St & East Noyes will be N. Swetting to Sumner St. The project will be advertised Jan 29th & Feb 5 th. Final bids will be opened Feb 13 th at 10:00 a.m. Bids will be reviewed and a recommendation letter will be given on Feb 16 th. The recommendation letter will be presented at the Feb 25th meeting to be considered and award a construction contract. The project should be simple, and it will not have any financial impact on the customers affected on those blocks. There could be minor impacts on residents as we will need to turn water off for a brief period to connect the new main to the existing infrastructure and when we have to re-hook water services. Jessi has told the council about the projects in case there were questions. The next item on the agenda was the superintendent report: • WWTP Digester Project- Strand has closed out the project except for the Touch and PRV Adjustment. Varec is coming for the final adjustments & training on the Varec Equipment. All the manuals and plans have been provided for our records. • Broadway Lift Station- The two submersible pumps have been replaced by the contractor - Crane. They were in the budget and have been replaced with pumps that Crane has in inventory. This readily allows for repairs or replacement in the future. • Dump Truck Box- a dump truck box has been ordered (in the budget) to replace the failing box that is on the Tandom International Truck. It will be built this winter, and we can expect to have it replaced the second part of this year (anticipated in June/July). The truck will be out of service for about 2 weeks when it is replaced. • Well #4 Vessel Inspection- In our recent sanitary survey, it was recommended that we have our Well #4 Treatment Vessel inspected. According to the DNR it should be done every 5 Years. Fortunately, the same inspection company that inspects our reservoirs was able to inspect our vessels at the same time. It will be put on the schedule for an inspection every 5 years to stay in compliance. • GIS Updates- We are in the process of having our sewer videos updated and put on our GIS. This includes the data from televising our main line sewers. The next item on the agenda was Old Business. Youngbauer requested that we add Lead Line piping to the February agenda. The next item on the agenda was New Business. Of which, we had none. Next meeting was set to February 25, 2026, at 4:30 pm. At 4:48 pm, Ottman motioned to adjourn with a second by Bending, which was carried by voice vote. Jennifer Langham - Secretary