SW MINUTES-11-19-2025

SEWER AND WATER COMMISSION MEETING BERLIN, WISCONSIN NOVEMBER 19, 2025 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 the October 2025 Sewer & Water Commission Meeting. A correction on Roethel’s name was brought up. With the change, Bending moved to approve the minutes of the October 29, 2025, Sewer & Water Commission Meeting. Ottman seconded the motion, which was carried by voice vote. The next item on the agenda was the approval of financials for October of 2025. Questions were answered about the water tower clean & coat payment and the last payment for the Oak Street project. Youngbauer moved to approve the vouchers presented for October 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 unpaid charges from September’s billing and before are being applied to taxes this week. Also stated was that we are currently working with the vendor and Accufund to transition to full -page billing. Applications for the vacant Utility clerk position were also due on Friday so that they can set up interviews for the first week of December. The next item on the agenda was discussion on Biosolids hauling. Due to doing work on the digester this year, we had to pump more out in the drying beds than normal. We had to haul out approximately 650,000 gallons to the field to be injected (double what we normally do in the fall). As a result , we did see an increase in cost due to the number of hauling days (4 instead of 2). They haul with 2 semi -tractors capable of injecting biosolids by pulling a hose around in the field and pumping from the trucks to the tractor. This is what is involved in what they do and why they charge what they do. The next item on the agenda was discussion on a contingency account on the 2026 budget. There was a question last meeting about building a contingency fund into the budget. We cover any emergencies or contingencies with our Equipment Replacement Funds. We have one for water, sewer, and sewer DNR. We could set up a special contingency fund, but it would have to go through one of the sewer or water expense budget accounts for audit purposes. They must see specifically what account/s we may use the funds. The next item on the agenda was the superintendent report: • WWTP Digester Project – we are just waiting for the PRV (Pressure Relief Valves) to arrive so August Winter can install them. Once those are up and running, this project should be completed. • Service Inventory Letters – starting last year the DNR mandated that we send out letters to residents that have galvanized, iron, or lines we have no record of the service material. This will be a yearly letter. We will be updating the service line inventory and submitting a new one to the DNR so the list of residents will change as we do updates to our inventory. The next item on the agenda was Old Business. Of which, we had none. The next item on the agenda was New Business. Of which, we had none. Next meeting was set to January 28, 2026, at 4:30 pm. At 4:42 pm, Youngbauer motioned to adjourn with a second by Ottman, which was carried by voice vote. Jennifer Langham - Secretary