Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Wakefield — The application for a $2.925 million loan was expected to be formally submitted this week to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development division in relation to a pending water project for the city of Wakefield.
Matt Treado, the Ishpeming office manager of U.P. Engineers and Architects, reported the news at a Monday evening meeting of the Wakefield City Council.
During the virtual session, Treado said he hopes to get a response to the funding request by May, and he anticipates advertising for bids at the start of next year. He speculated that construction will occur between May and October 2022, with completion expected by November of next year.
The broad-ranging initiative will include a smaller water improvement project in Wakefield’s “Bingoville” area, although Treado said that portion of the work may begin this year.
Treado also explained that he is coordinating with another company to address a SCADA analysis of the city’s tank system.
The acronym SCADA means “supervisory control and data acquisition” and refers to the widespread computer system used to operate and control water management.
Treado said the analysis so far leans to the need for an antenna repair at the city’s Plymouth tank. He said the antenna has been subjected to wind vibration for the last 12 years, “potentially resulting in a degraded connection.”
City Manager Robert Brown Jr., said he is in favor of the diagnostics if the related quote does not exceed $3,000. Treado appeared optimistic that the limit could be met.
In explaining the actual procedure, he said, “They would climb the tank and check the antenna.” He added that workers either would repair the antenna on the spot or arrange for the repair soon afterward.
Mayor Dale White said that the city water failure experienced on Feb. 28 made clear the “urgency” to resolve any related problems.
Brown summarized that day’s failure as a domino fall of events, including a communication error within the system, followed by pump failure and additional issues with a broken main and pipe repairs.
One silver lining, he said, is that city workers learned how to respond to such an emergency.
Still, he concluded, “All I know is that, at the end of the day, we can’t have failures like that, nor ongoing, multiple repairs.”
Council members also discussed the possibility of getting a generator installed at the site of the city’s booster tank on Old U.S. 2.
The mayor praised city workers for coping with “a pretty tough week” that included digging holes, fixing pipes, etc. after the Feb. 28 failure.
“I think everybody did a great job,” he said, adding that the city’s water also tested “very, very well,” indicating that the temporary boil advisory after the system failure had been mainly precautionary.
Treado also reported that he expects results this month on the city’s application for a $296,500 grant from the state’s Drinking Water Asset Management Plan.
He said that grants were submitted on behalf of only 10% of Michigan water systems, so his office is “cautiously optimistic” of receiving the grant.
The grant opportunity falls under the state’s new Clean Water Plan, created by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, known as EGLE.
Finally, Treado also reported that a separate application was filed in January for a $500,000 grant via the USDA-RD.
If approved, Treado said both of those “100% grants” would help the city to meet state mandates in relation to water systems. For example, if city workers now happen to come across a lead line, they must replace it all the way to any adjoining house.
In other news, the council voted unanimously to approve Resolution 288, which approves of the city retaining Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, PLC of Detroit as bond counsel at a cost not to exceed $12,500, to help in steering the city’s intent to obtain loan funding from USDA-RD for the purchase of industrial park land and buildings for use by the city’s Public Works Department.
Attorney Steve Mann of the firm attended Monday’s meeting to explain the firm’s role in helping to secure the needed $440,000.
Brown told the Daily Globe Wednesday that the city hopes to be using the site by this spring.
Council members also:
—Voted to post for sale the city’s 1964 Howe fire engine at a minimum bid of $5,000. “It hasn’t been used in several years,” said Mayor Dale White, adding that the Wakefield Volunteer Fire Department has taken it from storage only for special occasions such as parades. In a related report to the council, Brown noted that firefighters would like to allocate resulting funds to the fire department budget.
—Learned from Brown that Angelo Luppino Inc., of Iron Belt, Wisconsin, submitted the only bid of $5,010 for the city’s surplus vactor truck. The city manager said the council can decide later how to file or use the funds.
—Voted to approve Traffic Control Order 85-2021, which will not allow vehicles weighing more than 5 tons on Chicago Mine Road between M-28 and U.S. 2. Brown said Eddie Park Road, Chicago Mine Road and North Chicago Mine Road all will benefit from the order. Emergency and garbage vehicles are exempt from the order.
The council’s next regular meeting will be March 22 at 5:30 p.m. Due to pandemic restrictions, persons wishing to attend the virtual meeting should first call the municipal building at 906-229-5131 for access information.
