Spring 2015 MSA Today

More ideas. Better solutions.®

IN THIS ISSUE

Environmental testing can help prevent costly surprises 6

Elgin’s renovated Center Street impresses residents and TV crew 10 Grants pay for 83% ofBirchwood’s treatment plant project 14

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“It was a very good project,” he said. “I didn’t know much about the moving bed biofilm reactor until it was built and Mike Hagness of MSA showed me how it worked.”

Besides his efforts to develop a new wastewater treatment facility for Birchwood, Gillett also decided that the community needed a thrift shop. Five years ago, he helped open one in the basement of the Village Hall.

Gillett praised the board members for their support. Bob Hayes, a former board member, is now completing Gillett’s term that ends with the April election.

As a public official, Gillett said he always tried to do everything pos-sible to help his constituents. “Too many people are in politics for themselves; that’s not the way it ought to be,” he said. “Remember why you’re there.”

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A new playground is one of the many new amenities at the park.

Some people spend their entire lives contributing to their commu-nities. Just look at Morris Gillett, almost 91. He served on the Village of Birchwood Board for 11 years, including seven years as president. He resigned in December because he wanted time to pursue other interests. As a public official, Gillett was always looking for ways to help out his constituents. “I see a need and try to get it done,” he said.

One of his big concerns was improving the community’s waste-water treatment facility to meet state regulations. Gillett and the Village Board accomplished that goal with the help of MSA. The community now has an upgraded $4.7 million wastewater treat-ment facility and lift stations with 83% of the cost paid by grants.

“The economics of the community are so difficult,” he explained. “That’s why grants are so essential.”

MSA’s Dave Rasmussen and Teresa Anderson, P.E. worked with Gillett to obtain grants for the wastewater treatment facility in addition to other projects, including improvements to Main Street.

Gillett spent much of his career in Texas as a geophysicist helping to find oil. He later worked as a consultant and retired in Birchwood in 2000 to be near his children who have since moved away. Gillett’s technical background provided value during the planning, design and construction of the wastewater treatment facility. He was fas-cinated by the process and helped to obtain property easements for the lift stations.

The total project cost for Birchwood’s wastewater treatment facility and lift station project was $4.7 million. With MSA’s help, the community obtained $3.9 million in grants to pay for 83% of the cost. Funding sources included the following: • Community Development Block Grant: $500,000• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Clean Water Fund Principal

Forgiveness (Grant): $500,000 • WDNR Clean Water Fund Hardship Program Grant: $2,937,544 • WDNR Clean Water Fund Hardship Program Loan (0% interest, 20-year term): $758,947

“We were glad we could obtain the needed funding for Birchwood,” said Teresa Anderson, P.E., MSA engineer and client liaison. “Small communities do not benefit from the economy of scale enjoyed by larger communities, yet they are subject to the same regulatory re-quirements. Grants and subsidized loans make these projects affordable to the residents and businesses in the community.”

For information about grants and funding opportunities, contact [email protected]. For additional information about ways to meet chang-ing wastewater treatment regulations, contact Teresa Anderson at [email protected].

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Morris Gillett shows off the new stainless steel control cabinet at one of the Village’s upgraded lift stations

Bob Beffa, left, and Tucker Fee, wastewater treatment facility operators, check out their new chemical feed pumps.

Reflections With gasoline prices and the stock markets now doing much better than they were even before the Great Recession, one might be forgiven for think-ing that all of the damage done between 2007 and 2009 has been undone. But what might be true on Wall Street is seldom true on Main Street. Those of us who have a role in maintaining our country’s great infrastructure know better.

State and local governments lagged going into the recession, and have lagged coming out. The result is that many communities deferred mainte-nance on roads and utilities, and some still are. Our infrastructure did not stop aging or improve its condition while we were hunkering down, so now we find ourselves having to play catch-up.

At the same time, our labor force participation rate will continue its decline over the next 10 years. The retirement of baby boomers will more than offset any gains made in employment rates made as a result of a recovering economy.

The upshot of these two trends is that we will all need to literally do more with less. Our productivity rate will need to increase as we address our problems of aging infrastructure. How will we do that? The answer most likely lies in being able to excel in three areas:

• Technology investments: GIS-based asset management systems can help to capture the institutional knowledge of long-time employees.

• Innovation: The “same-old, same-old” won’t get it done any more. Is your organization ready to tap into the next good idea that floats its way to the surface from your front-line staff?

• Flexibility: As our workforce changes, we as employers need to ac-commodate a greater range of needs if we are to meet our challenges. Longer life expectancies mean retiring workers are healthier and still want to work part-time. We also need to accommodate working parents and millennials whose concept of working time and environment will be different than that of our parents. Attracting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce will mean reinventing ourselves as employers.

While some of these things may sound dramatic, they are nothing more than the current flavor of what has gotten us through every challenge: good old American ingenuity and resolve.

Best regards,

Gil Hantzsch, President/CEO

What’s your downtown vision?Are you a community leader looking to enhance your community’s downtown? Is there a major street re-construction project in your future? Is a grass roots effort emerging to revitalize the downtown to combat a loss of businesses? MSA’s urban planners, engineers and other specialists can work together to help you maximize opportunities and plan for the future.

Planners can help communities by assessing their strengths and weaknesses and establishing the tools necessary to support a strong downtown. Through smart design of public and private improvements, planners can strengthen the economic and social well-being of neighborhoods and communities.

Our engineers realize that improving a community’s downtown involves so much more than replacing the surface of a main street. Communities with foresight can reinvent themselves through reconstruction proj-ects. Businesses benefit when municipalities upgrade their downtown. Visitors and residents want to en-joy “pedestrian-friendly” civic centers with excellent amenities.

Gillett leaves legacy of tackling tough issues in Birchwood

Elgin’s Center Street borders an attractive downtown city park that features a Swiss-theme clock tower that was made possible by donations of funds, material and labor.

Successful projects require the involvement and support of mu-nicipal officials, businesses and residents. Our downtown designs incorporate local knowledge and wisdom. For instance, if a visioning group seeks redevelopment of an underutilized area, plans may need to call for an upgrade to utilities and other infra-structure, or remediation of soil contamination unknown to the State, but known to longtime residents.

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Village of Birchwood officials knew they had a big problem. Their aging wastewater treatment facility could not meet state-imposed nitrogen limits and expected improvements were going to cost millions of dollars. To add to the challenge, the facility serves a population of 435 individuals and local businesses, and there were tight site constraints. Village officials, under the leadership of Village President Morris Gillett (see related article), turned to MSA for assistance. In re-sponse, MSA developed a team consisting of engineers, planners and funding specialists. The community’s tough challenge was going to require some atypical solutions. MSA identified wastewater treatment needs and then evalu-ated solutions in the facility planning stage. The existing aerated lagoons had sludge build-up that reduced the holding time for treatment and the 30-year-old aeration system was inefficient. The existing system facilities were not capable of meeting new regulatory requirements and several of the lift stations in the collection system were obsolete. The Village Board approved the following Facility Plan recommendations:

• Replace Lift Stations 2 and 4; retrofit Lift Station 3• Add influent fine screening and upgrade the aerated lagoons• Add a treatment process for nitrogen removal

Grants pay for 83% of Birchwood’s treatment plant project

MSA’s wastewater team recommended installation of a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for nitrogen removal, one of the first times this system has been used for this purpose in Wisconsin. This system is well suited for Wisconsin’s cold winters and can be installed on a small site.

The Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) is filled with plastic media during construction. It will remove nitrogen during wastewater treatment.

INFLUENT

MECHANICALFINE SCREEN

COVERED AND BAFFLED AERATED LAGOON #1(INITIAL TREATMENT)

MBBR TANKS(NITROGEN REMOVAL)

COVERED AND BAFFLED LAGOON #2(SETTLING)

SEEPAGE CELLS (DISPOSAL)

BIOFILM CARRIERS

AERATED AERATED MIXED

This vision shows a potential redevelopment of a downtown block in Sauk City, Wisconsin.

The influent travels through the mechanical fine screen and Aerated Lagoon #1 for initial treatment. The wastewater then flows to the MBBR tanks for additional treatment, including nitrogen removal. The tanks contain small plastic media suspended in wastewater which act as biofilm carriers for the microorganisms that remove nitrogen. The treated wastewater then flows from the tanks to Lagoon #2 for settling and is discharged from the facility through existing seepage cells. Oconomowoc’s reconstructed Wisconsin Avenue creates an attractive gateway

to the downtown and is encouraging economic redevelopment.

Study and VisioningCommunities may consider the following tools for use with their visioning process:

Market Analysis– Many communities have a laundry list of ameni-ties in their desired downtown, such as specific retailers. A market analysis can help identify market-viable downtown uses to target for attraction and development.

Parking Analysis, Traffic and Transportation Plans– Successful downtowns require safe transportation infrastructure for all users, convenient access and smart parking management. Evaluating a downtown’s parking needs and identifying strategies to meet and manage parking demand is crucial.

This 3-D rendering of Sauk City’s main street shows potential streetscape improvements and redevelopment.

Planning for Action – Implementation Tools Land Use and Design Guidelines- Land-use policy is at the core of many community plans, but use often takes a back seat in a downtown setting. Downtown vibrance depends on a diverse mix of uses and a built environment that is attractive and pedestrian-friendly. Community leaders may implement design guidelines and standards to protect and enhance the built environment.

Keys to a Successful Downtown Plan

• Public participation and elected official support

• Analysis of current conditions

• A comprehensive development concept that inspires further engagement

• A realistic action plan tied to funding resources and a schedule for implementation

received a community planning grant of $75,000 through the Illinois Disaster Recovery Pro-gram. These planning dollars were made available through a federal disaster declaration from 2008 storms and flooding caused by Hurricane Ike.

Rankin was instrumental in developing the plan, noted Ready. One of its goals is to mitigate or minimize future disaster damage. Additionally, the plan focuses on improving critical infrastructure, housing, transportation and economic development.

Rankin said the Rapids City Comprehensive Plan helped municipal officials and other participants look at their community assets and decide where they wanted to go as a village. Rapids City, located in the Quad Cities metropolitan area along the banks of the Missis-sippi River, is a mostly residential community. The village president doesn’t want to see random development in the future. Instead, he said officials should refer to the plan when making decisions about how the village is going to grow.

Rankin, a 33-year resident of Rapids City, has served as a trustee for six years and will end his second term as village president in 2016. He’s successful worked with the Board to reduce the com-munity’s debt, one of his main goals.

Rankin praised the community’s village trustees. “They’ve been an excellent board to work with,” he said. “They’re great people and problem solvers; that’s what I like.”

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City of Eureka The 2008 flood waters damaged the City of Eureka’s wastewater treatment plant, park facilities, school ball field and roadways. MSA worked with the City to develop implementation studies to accompany the comprehensive plan. This combination of tools provides the City with a holistic way to mitigate future flooding problems.

Whiteside CountyIKE funds allowed Whiteside County to create its first comprehen-sive plan, adopted in July 2014. Over the course of a year, MSA facilitated a broad public process using public meetings, stakehold-er interviews, mail and online surveys and a series of meetings with a diverse steering committee. The approved document features an action plan to help county staff and elected officials prioritize projects.

InformationCrowe indicated that comprehensive plans can help direct a com-munity’s future and position it for available grant funding. For more information, contact Crowe at [email protected].

Rankin’s analytical training helps solve Rapids City’s challengesSome municipal officials, like the Village of Rapids City’s Presi-dent Greg Rankin, have just the right background for their posi-tion. Rankin often performed root-cause analysis in his work at the health physics department of Exelon Nuclear. Although Rankin has retired from Exelon, he is still using that training to investigate municipal issues, such as sanitary sewer inflow and infiltration.

Rankin also knows that any good municipal official has to spend a lot of time listening. “You never know where the next good idea is going to come from,” he said.

MSA Vice President Pat Ready, P.E. selected Rankin as this issue’s Illinois Community Star because, “Greg is always looking to move the Village forward and approaches projects in a pragmatic and organized fashion.”

One good way for communities to move ahead is to prepare a com-prehensive plan. With MSA’s assistance, the Village of Rapids City

City of Eureka (Photo courtesy Jeff McSweeney)

Rapids City is located along the banks of the Mississippi River. (Photo courtesy Alex Wilson)

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Village of Rapids City’s President Greg Rankin

Redevelopment Visions and Concept Plans– Pictures help stake-holders understand and react to potential projects. Redevelop-ment visions and concept plans can generate enthusiasm for change and provide the basis for policy limits on redevelopment. Sauk City, Wisconsin, situated on the banks of the Wisconsin River, adopted a redevelopment vision to set appropriate limits on the scale of redevelopment in its historic downtown.

In Gilbert, Minnesota, MSA crafted a community-wide land-use plan that included downtown redevelopment strategies and ac-tions to foster economic growth, while honoring the community’s roots and small town values.

In Port Byron, Illinois, the Village was adversely impacted by “Hurri-cane Ike” which cause flooding issues for many communities along the Mississippi River. The Village’s Downtown Development Plan, funded by HUD and allocated by the State of Illinois, addressed disaster relief and restoration to infrastructure, housing and economic revitalization. MSA helped nine communities obtain $875,000 of funding support through the Illinois Disaster Recovery Program (IDRP). These “IKE” monies were used for comprehensive planning and implementa-tion studies with no local match required. (See related article on Page 12.)

Brownfield Site Assessment & Remediation– Few downtown sites are clean sites. The redevelopment process often requires the identification and remediation of site contaminants. The City of Mauston, Wisconsin remediated two brownfields as part of its downtown revitalization plan.

The public participated in the development of Eureka’s 2034 Comprehensive Plan. (Jeff McSweeney photo)

A City of Hastings, Minnesota reconstruction project included an extension of 12-inch watermain, rehabilitation of the existing street section and extension of the City’s trail system.

Communities benefit from IKE planning grantsMSA helps Illinois communities prepare for future floods, improve infrastructure

12 5www.msa-ps.com Illinois

“I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.”--John D. Rockefeller

The floods of 2008 descended upon Illinois communities with light-ning speed, leaving behind broken infrastructure and citizens who vowed to reduce the damage from similar natural disasters in the future. With patience and resolve, plus “IKE” funding, communities are taking proactive measures to fight future floods.

MSA helped nine communities obtain $875,000 of funding support through the Illinois Disaster Recovery Program (IDRP). These “IKE” monies were used for comprehensive planning and implementa-tion studies with no local match required.

Plan RequirementsThe comprehensive plans funded through this program must di-rectly address the project area’s disaster recovery needs. The plans are required to achieve the following:

• Analyze the impact of the floods of 2008, paying special atten-

tion to the areas and groups that were most adversely affected and the unmet “needs” that were created by the storm either directly or indirectly (e.g. infrastructure, housing, economic development)

• Recommend principles/policies designed to address the identified needs created by the disaster

• Outline strategies designed to mitigate or minimize future disaster damage

MSA’s Greg Crowe, AICP, client service manager, said the plans also must promote sustainable planning principles such as provid-ing more transportation choices, promoting equitable, affordable housing and enhancing economic competitiveness.

Following is a summary of some of the projects MSA helped communities complete through the use of IKE funds. City of Keithsburg MSA provided facilitation and support services for a Strategic Planning Initiative in Keithsburg. With guidance derived through this process, the City, in partnership with MSA, has completed prelimi-nary engineering analysis work to improve its levee system, water system, wastewater treatment plant and city streets.

The 2008 flooding devastated the City of Keithsburg. When the local levee breached, streets and homes were flooded.

IKE funds paid for the reconstruction of sections of Keithsburg’s Main Street (inset) and 10th Street.

What would downtown Gilbert, Minnesota look like with two lanes of traffic instead of four? As shown in these renderings, the additional space would allow for wider sidewalks for outdoor dining and streetscaping elements.

Landscaping and Streetscaping Plans- The term “streetscape” re-fers to the natural and built fabric of a street – its design quality and the visual impact it has on its users. A successful streetscape balances function with aesthetics, and creates a welcoming, safe and comfortable environment for all users. The streetscape of State Street in Madison, Wisconsin incorporates flexible, timeless and sustainable components.

Branding and Logo Design- Downtown is the heart of the commu-nity and in many places is central to community identity. A clear brand identity and associated logo can reinforce that identity, ei-ther for the downtown district alone or for the entire community.

Wayfinding and Community Signage Designs- Visitors won’t vis-it what they can’t find (or didn’t even know about). Coordinated signage can help draw people in to local attractions and reinforce community character and identity at the same time.

Financial Tools- Communities may consider a variety of funding sources, including tax increment financing, business improvement districts, and grant programs to implement a downtown redevel-opment plan. A clear understanding of funding options is impor-tant, because the plan can be written in ways that improve funding options.

InformationFor more information on redeveloping your downtown, contact Jason Valerius, AICP at [email protected]. Madison’s State Street is an iconic destination in the City’s downtown area.

Proposed Road Diet: From Four Lanes to Two Lanes

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Dawn Smith is bringing the lessons she learned as City of Durant mayor to her new position as a Cedar County supervisor.

“I believe in trying to reach consensus,” she said. As mayor, Smith also listened to what her city councilors had to say. “I would defer to them if they knew more than I did about a certain issue,” she added.

Smith served as mayor for nine years and was on the council for another four years. She decided to run for the County Board so the city and school district would have direct representation on the County Board of Supervisors. MSA Vice President Steve Thompson selected Smith as this issue’s Iowa Community Star for her efforts in getting the City’s financial house in order and bringing Norfolk Iron, a larger manufacturer, to town.

“Dawn spearheaded the creation and adoption of a comprehen-sive plan to guide the City’s future. Under her watch, the City built a new police station and historical society/museum,” Thompson said.

Serving on the Cedar County Board requires members to attend a day-long meeting on Tuesdays and serve on numerous other com-mittees as well. One of Smith’s appointments is to the Highway 30 Coalition that consists of county and city officials who are work-ing to promote that area. She now serves as the only woman on the board, replacing her mentor, Betty Ellerhoff of the rural Tipton area, who did not seek another term.

When Smith was elected mayor, the City’s staff included an admin-istrator. But the turnover was high for this position and she pro-moted the idea of running the city without an administrator. “This worked for Durant because we have a hands-on council that is ac-cessible to staff,” she said. The City hires professionals as needed.MSA is now working with Durant on a large wastewater treatment facility renovation, water distribution system upgrade and road re-construction project. Smith said that it’s important to make sure a community’s “infrastructure health” is always a priority.

As a county board member, Smith said she’ll continue one of her secrets to success in public office: listening respectfully to others. In her new role, Smith also will seek consensus to achieve results.

Durant’s Pythian Sisters Park features a memorial for Veterans of the Armed Services.

Dawn Smith participated in many community events as mayor. She joined 4-Hers during 4-H Week and participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge with Ira Bowman. (Photos courtesy of the Wilton-Durant Advocate News)

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Smith brings mayoral experience to new role on Cedar County Board

What happens when a property or building owner wants to sell an abandoned building to a municipality for a mere $1? Taxpay-ers may be clamoring for its acquisition so a waiting developer can transform or demolish it and replace the structure with another facility. But before public officials accept the deal for a building or property, they need to investigate environmental issues to determine whether liabilities exist.

Obvious environmental liabilities include previous spills of petro-leum or hazardous substances on the property. But what about potential liabilities from asbestos-containing building materials, lead-based paint, radon gas or that closed gasoline service station down the road? These are just a few of the liabilities that could lead to unforeseen expenses to develop the property.

ESAs identify potential liabilitiesA Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is generally consid-ered the first step in the process of environmental due diligence. An ESA reveals potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities or recognized environmental conditions (RECs) related to a piece of real estate.

If a Phase 1 ESA provides evidence of an environmental contamina-tion liability, environmental specialists may recommend that the property owner, developer or municipality conduct a Phase 2 ESA.

Environmental testing can help prevent costly surprises

The purpose of a Phase 2 ESA is to collect soil, air, groundwater and/or building materials for analysis to determine if contaminants are present. Air testing may also be needed if there are concerns about vapors from sub-surface contamination migrating into a building and causing health concerns.

Asbestos increases demolition costsDemolition and adaptive reuse each have their own environmen-tal challenges. One of the most common environmental concerns is the presence of asbestos. For any commercial renovation or demolition, the owner must comply with asbestos regulations. Asbestos inspection and removal could considerably increase the cost of demolition. Environmental issues are not limited to older structures. Lead-based paint is still available for commercial use and asbestos can be found in products such as flooring, caulks, drywall mud and sheet rock.

For more informationEnvironmental assessments can help a potential developer, land-owner or municipality identify unknown property or building conditions. These assessments can then help guide the develop-ment of the property and eliminate costly surprises. For more information about environmental liabilities, contact Brian Hegge at [email protected].

MSA provided a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment plus lead and asbestos inspections at this Oskaloosa, Iowa school prior to rehabilitation work.

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MinnesotaOrganization: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Local Trail Connections Grant or Outdoor Recreation Grant Deadline: March 31, 2015

Organization: Minnesota Dept. of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) Redevelopment Grant Deadline: August 1, 2015

Organization: MN Pollution Control Agency; MN Public Facility Authority, MN Dept. of Health

Drinking Water Revolving Fund Deadline: May 2015

Clean Water Revolving Fund & Wastewater Facilities Plans or Stormwater Project Plans Deadline: March 2015 for each program

Intended Use Plans for Clean Water and Drinking Water Deadline: June 2015

Wisconsin

Organization: Wisconsin Department of Administration

Community Development Block Grant - Public Facilities Program Deadline: May 22, 2015

Community Development Block Grant - Planning Program Deadline: May 22, 2015

Organization: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Environmental Improvement Fund (CWFP and SDWLP): Notice of Intent to Apply Form (ITA) and Priority Evaluation and Ranking Form (PERF) to secure eligibility for the DNR funds Deadline: October 31, 2015 (estimated)

Clean Water Fund Deadline: Hardship Funding Assistance Applications due June

30, 2015; Regular Program Applications due September 30, 2015; Small Loan Program, Rolling Applications

Safe Drinking Water Loan Program Deadline: June 30, 2015

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program Grants Deadline: May 1, 2015

Organization: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) Deadline: Ongoing

FederalOrganization: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants Deadline: Varies, contact local MSA representative

For information on all states, contact [email protected].

Iowa

Before Elgin’s Center Street reconstruction, it was tough for drivers to park and get out of their cars because the roadway’s slope was so severe and vehicles tilted to one side. The sidewalks weren’t uniform and the stormwater conveyance and water distribution systems needed significant upgrades.

Improving Elgin’s main street has been long-time goal. At a public meeting in 1998, about 60 citizens started dreaming about creat-ing a better future for their community. Improving Elgin’s primary downtown corridor was one of their top priorities. The issue was once again addressed when participants helped create Elgin 2030, a comprehensive plan. MSA worked with the City to prepare the plan and then obtain grants and funding to help the community achieve its goals.

Center Street, the heart of the community’s business district, is now restored with new concrete pavement, permeable paver park-ing lanes, new sidewalks, an established bike trail and LED decora-tive lighting. MSA helped the City obtain Community Development Disaster Relief Funds (stormwater), Iowa Great Places Funds (bike trail) and I-JOBS Funds (water improvement).

Elgin’s grassroots efforts lead to renovated downtown

Mayor Bill Pfister is pleased with the project and noted, “MSA was very instrumental in getting us the funds that made the project possible.”

Danielle Dotzenrod, owner of Dotzy’s Restaurant and Saloon, said that restoration of Center Street was “something that had to hap-pen.” She added that out-of-town customers comment on how much better the downtown now looks. A film crew from the Ten-nis Channel recently visited Elgin to film Dotzenrod at her restau-rant and around the City, including on Center Street. She hosts the channel’s “Tour Guide” show and producers wanted to feature scenes from her personal life in Iowa.

Reconstruction of Center Street enhances the appeal of this com-munity of about 700 people. The City is at the midpoint of an “Iowa Great Place,” the Turkey River Recreational Corridor that also in-cludes Clermont and Elkader.

For more information about funding downtown improvements, contact Jim Holz at [email protected].

Elgin’s renovated Center Street was the backdrop for a Tennis Channel television crew. They visited the community to film Danielle Dotzenrod, the owner of Elgin’s Dotzy’s Restaurant and host of a tennis program. (Fayette Publishing Stephanie Hermen photo)

MSA helped the City obtain grants and provided design and construction-related services for the Center Street reconstruction.

IllinoisOrganization: Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (CDAP) Economic Development & Emergency Public Infrastructure Deadline: Ongoing for each program

Public Infrastructure Design & Construction/Construction Only Deadline: June 1st for each program

Organization: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Boat Access Area Development Program Deadline: July 1st through September 1st

Snowmobile Trail Program/Snowmobile Trail Enhancement Program

Deadline: May 1st for each program

Organization: Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Economic Development Deadline: Ongoing

Truck Access Route Program Deadline: Annual Fall Solicitation

Organization: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Municipal Brownfield Redevelopment Grant Deadline: January 1st and July 1st

Water & Wastewater State Revolving Funds (Pre-application) Deadline: Ongoing

Section 319 - Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Deadline: June 1st through July 31st

IowaOrganization: Iowa Economic Development Authority CDBG Water/Sewer Deadline: November 2015

CDBG Housing Sustainability Deadline: December 2015

CDBG Community Facilities & Downtown Revitalization Deadline: January 2016 for each program Organization: Iowa Department of Transportation Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) Deadline: Ongoing

Organization: Iowa State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) Planning & Design Loan Applications Deadline: Quarterly I ntended Use Plan Applications - Required for SRF Construction Loans Deadline: Quarterly

8 9www.msa-ps.comMinnesota

Demolished materials from the former J & J Castings property will be reused.

City will reuse materials uncovered during demolition instead of sending them to a landfill

There’s an art to redeveloping property. With proper forethought, redevelopment can mean more than demolishing old structures and constructing new. It’s possible to go one step further and reuse resources while revitalizing a site. That’s the case for the former J & J Castings property in Two Harbors.

The City of Two Harbors wanted to redevelop the property situ-ated at a prime location along the shores of Lake Superior. The site included an old roundhouse, oil house, garage and other structures. Many contained lead-based paint. The City teamed with MSA to prepare a Case Specific Beneficial Use Determination (CSBUD) permit that allows entities generating wastes to identify beneficial uses for those wastes rather than just sending them to a landfill. Finding new uses for solid waste saves landfill capacity

and reduces the amount of raw materials used in construction and other industries.

Our team obtained approval from the Minnesota Pollution Con-trol Agency (MPCA) to crush, store and reuse concrete and brick contaminated with lead-based paint from the J & J Castings site. The MPCA granted the CSBUD permit for 3,700 cubic yards of concrete and brick generated during the demolition activities. In accordance with the project specifications prepared by MSA, the demolition contractor treated the concrete and brick-painted surfaces to immobilize the lead prior to demolition. Then the materials were crushed.

The City of Two Harbors and Lake County Highway Department will use the crushed material as road base. It will also be used as fill material for the new construction on the property. Although there are no definite plans for reuse of the J & J Castings site at this time, the lakeside property is ready for redevelopment.

For information, contact Brian Hegge at [email protected].

As a two-term mayor for the City of Shafer, Kyle Johnson learned patience. “Government has one speed – the speed you get,” he said. “There are rules and regulations to consider and you have to wait for the City Council to make decisions.”

Johnson, who has been self-em-ployed for most of his career, can quickly make business decisions and move on. But that’s not the way gov-ernment works. The former mayor learned a lot, including patience, from his many years of public ser-vice.

“As mayor, I got a better understand-ing of all the types of people and

personalities who live in the community,” he said.

Johnson, who recently moved out of the City of Shafer, resigned from his position in January. He still owns property in the com-munity and continues to have close ties. MSA Vice President Brian Miller selected Johnson as this issue’s Minnesota Community Star for his many contributions to the City.

Former Shafer mayor brings business savvy to public service

As mayor during the recent challenging economy, Johnson had to make tough decisions to align expenses with the City’s budget. He worked with the City Council to cut expenses.

The Council made other decisions to encourage resident develop-ment on the north side of the community. In what proved to be a crucial decision, the City reduced fees for water and sewer access connections from $2,200 each to $100 each. That move eventually encouraged developers to build new homes.

Under Johnson’s watch, the City also started a water tower fund and built a new ice skating rink and two lift stations. Many of the City’s streets also were paved. As the City’s engineers, MSA’s Brian Miller, P.E. and Jon Herdegen, P.E. assisted the community with all of its infrastructure projects.

During his years of public service, Johnson discovered that “the more time you spend listening, the more you get done.” He also learned to keep an open mind.

He added, “Everyone in the City has a voice. It’s the responsibil-ity of the elected official to take in the City as a whole and make unbiased decisions.”

The popular Shafer Days, conducted in October, featured a Car Show. (Photos courtesy of Dan Vogel)

Kyle Johnson, in back, was the announcer for a 1923 bank robbery re-enactment during Shafer Days.

Two Harbors saves resources while redeveloping site

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Assistant Director of Public Works Larry Fabini stands in front of the crushed material.

10 7www.msa-ps.comwww.msa-ps.com www.msa-ps.com Grants

MinnesotaOrganization: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Local Trail Connections Grant or Outdoor Recreation Grant Deadline: March 31, 2015

Organization: Minnesota Dept. of Employment & Economic Development (DEED) Redevelopment Grant Deadline: August 1, 2015

Organization: MN Pollution Control Agency; MN Public Facility Authority, MN Dept. of Health

Drinking Water Revolving Fund Deadline: May 2015

Clean Water Revolving Fund & Wastewater Facilities Plans or Stormwater Project Plans Deadline: March 2015 for each program

Intended Use Plans for Clean Water and Drinking Water Deadline: June 2015

Wisconsin

Organization: Wisconsin Department of Administration

Community Development Block Grant - Public Facilities Program Deadline: May 22, 2015

Community Development Block Grant - Planning Program Deadline: May 22, 2015

Organization: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Environmental Improvement Fund (CWFP and SDWLP): Notice of Intent to Apply Form (ITA) and Priority Evaluation and Ranking Form (PERF) to secure eligibility for the DNR funds Deadline: October 31, 2015 (estimated)

Clean Water Fund Deadline: Hardship Funding Assistance Applications due June

30, 2015; Regular Program Applications due September 30, 2015; Small Loan Program, Rolling Applications

Safe Drinking Water Loan Program Deadline: June 30, 2015

Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Program Grants Deadline: May 1, 2015

Organization: Wisconsin Department of Transportation Transportation Economic Assistance (TEA) Deadline: Ongoing

FederalOrganization: U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Economic Development Loans and Grants Deadline: Varies, contact local MSA representative

For information on all states, contact [email protected].

Iowa

Before Elgin’s Center Street reconstruction, it was tough for drivers to park and get out of their cars because the roadway’s slope was so severe and vehicles tilted to one side. The sidewalks weren’t uniform and the stormwater conveyance and water distribution systems needed significant upgrades.

Improving Elgin’s main street has been long-time goal. At a public meeting in 1998, about 60 citizens started dreaming about creat-ing a better future for their community. Improving Elgin’s primary downtown corridor was one of their top priorities. The issue was once again addressed when participants helped create Elgin 2030, a comprehensive plan. MSA worked with the City to prepare the plan and then obtain grants and funding to help the community achieve its goals.

Center Street, the heart of the community’s business district, is now restored with new concrete pavement, permeable paver park-ing lanes, new sidewalks, an established bike trail and LED decora-tive lighting. MSA helped the City obtain Community Development Disaster Relief Funds (stormwater), Iowa Great Places Funds (bike trail) and I-JOBS Funds (water improvement).

Elgin’s grassroots efforts lead to renovated downtown

Mayor Bill Pfister is pleased with the project and noted, “MSA was very instrumental in getting us the funds that made the project possible.”

Danielle Dotzenrod, owner of Dotzy’s Restaurant and Saloon, said that restoration of Center Street was “something that had to hap-pen.” She added that out-of-town customers comment on how much better the downtown now looks. A film crew from the Ten-nis Channel recently visited Elgin to film Dotzenrod at her restau-rant and around the City, including on Center Street. She hosts the channel’s “Tour Guide” show and producers wanted to feature scenes from her personal life in Iowa.

Reconstruction of Center Street enhances the appeal of this com-munity of about 700 people. The City is at the midpoint of an “Iowa Great Place,” the Turkey River Recreational Corridor that also in-cludes Clermont and Elkader.

For more information about funding downtown improvements, contact Jim Holz at [email protected].

Elgin’s renovated Center Street was the backdrop for a Tennis Channel television crew. They visited the community to film Danielle Dotzenrod, the owner of Elgin’s Dotzy’s Restaurant and host of a tennis program. (Fayette Publishing Stephanie Hermen photo)

MSA helped the City obtain grants and provided design and construction-related services for the Center Street reconstruction.

IllinoisOrganization: Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (CDAP) Economic Development & Emergency Public Infrastructure Deadline: Ongoing for each program

Public Infrastructure Design & Construction/Construction Only Deadline: June 1st for each program

Organization: Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Boat Access Area Development Program Deadline: July 1st through September 1st

Snowmobile Trail Program/Snowmobile Trail Enhancement Program

Deadline: May 1st for each program

Organization: Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Economic Development Deadline: Ongoing

Truck Access Route Program Deadline: Annual Fall Solicitation

Organization: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Municipal Brownfield Redevelopment Grant Deadline: January 1st and July 1st

Water & Wastewater State Revolving Funds (Pre-application) Deadline: Ongoing

Section 319 - Nonpoint Source Water Pollution Deadline: June 1st through July 31st

IowaOrganization: Iowa Economic Development Authority CDBG Water/Sewer Deadline: November 2015

CDBG Housing Sustainability Deadline: December 2015

CDBG Community Facilities & Downtown Revitalization Deadline: January 2016 for each program Organization: Iowa Department of Transportation Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) Deadline: Ongoing

Organization: Iowa State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) Planning & Design Loan Applications Deadline: Quarterly I ntended Use Plan Applications - Required for SRF Construction Loans Deadline: Quarterly

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Dawn Smith is bringing the lessons she learned as City of Durant mayor to her new position as a Cedar County supervisor.

“I believe in trying to reach consensus,” she said. As mayor, Smith also listened to what her city councilors had to say. “I would defer to them if they knew more than I did about a certain issue,” she added.

Smith served as mayor for nine years and was on the council for another four years. She decided to run for the County Board so the city and school district would have direct representation on the County Board of Supervisors. MSA Vice President Steve Thompson selected Smith as this issue’s Iowa Community Star for her efforts in getting the City’s financial house in order and bringing Norfolk Iron, a larger manufacturer, to town.

“Dawn spearheaded the creation and adoption of a comprehen-sive plan to guide the City’s future. Under her watch, the City built a new police station and historical society/museum,” Thompson said.

Serving on the Cedar County Board requires members to attend a day-long meeting on Tuesdays and serve on numerous other com-mittees as well. One of Smith’s appointments is to the Highway 30 Coalition that consists of county and city officials who are work-ing to promote that area. She now serves as the only woman on the board, replacing her mentor, Betty Ellerhoff of the rural Tipton area, who did not seek another term.

When Smith was elected mayor, the City’s staff included an admin-istrator. But the turnover was high for this position and she pro-moted the idea of running the city without an administrator. “This worked for Durant because we have a hands-on council that is ac-cessible to staff,” she said. The City hires professionals as needed.MSA is now working with Durant on a large wastewater treatment facility renovation, water distribution system upgrade and road re-construction project. Smith said that it’s important to make sure a community’s “infrastructure health” is always a priority.

As a county board member, Smith said she’ll continue one of her secrets to success in public office: listening respectfully to others. In her new role, Smith also will seek consensus to achieve results.

Durant’s Pythian Sisters Park features a memorial for Veterans of the Armed Services.

Dawn Smith participated in many community events as mayor. She joined 4-Hers during 4-H Week and participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge with Ira Bowman. (Photos courtesy of the Wilton-Durant Advocate News)

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Smith brings mayoral experience to new role on Cedar County Board

What happens when a property or building owner wants to sell an abandoned building to a municipality for a mere $1? Taxpay-ers may be clamoring for its acquisition so a waiting developer can transform or demolish it and replace the structure with another facility. But before public officials accept the deal for a building or property, they need to investigate environmental issues to determine whether liabilities exist.

Obvious environmental liabilities include previous spills of petro-leum or hazardous substances on the property. But what about potential liabilities from asbestos-containing building materials, lead-based paint, radon gas or that closed gasoline service station down the road? These are just a few of the liabilities that could lead to unforeseen expenses to develop the property.

ESAs identify potential liabilitiesA Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) is generally consid-ered the first step in the process of environmental due diligence. An ESA reveals potential or existing environmental contamination liabilities or recognized environmental conditions (RECs) related to a piece of real estate.

If a Phase 1 ESA provides evidence of an environmental contamina-tion liability, environmental specialists may recommend that the property owner, developer or municipality conduct a Phase 2 ESA.

Environmental testing can help prevent costly surprises

The purpose of a Phase 2 ESA is to collect soil, air, groundwater and/or building materials for analysis to determine if contaminants are present. Air testing may also be needed if there are concerns about vapors from sub-surface contamination migrating into a building and causing health concerns.

Asbestos increases demolition costsDemolition and adaptive reuse each have their own environmen-tal challenges. One of the most common environmental concerns is the presence of asbestos. For any commercial renovation or demolition, the owner must comply with asbestos regulations. Asbestos inspection and removal could considerably increase the cost of demolition. Environmental issues are not limited to older structures. Lead-based paint is still available for commercial use and asbestos can be found in products such as flooring, caulks, drywall mud and sheet rock.

For more informationEnvironmental assessments can help a potential developer, land-owner or municipality identify unknown property or building conditions. These assessments can then help guide the develop-ment of the property and eliminate costly surprises. For more information about environmental liabilities, contact Brian Hegge at [email protected].

MSA provided a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment plus lead and asbestos inspections at this Oskaloosa, Iowa school prior to rehabilitation work.

Communities benefit from IKE planning grantsMSA helps Illinois communities prepare for future floods, improve infrastructure

12 5www.msa-ps.com Illinois

“I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.”--John D. Rockefeller

The floods of 2008 descended upon Illinois communities with light-ning speed, leaving behind broken infrastructure and citizens who vowed to reduce the damage from similar natural disasters in the future. With patience and resolve, plus “IKE” funding, communities are taking proactive measures to fight future floods.

MSA helped nine communities obtain $875,000 of funding support through the Illinois Disaster Recovery Program (IDRP). These “IKE” monies were used for comprehensive planning and implementa-tion studies with no local match required.

Plan RequirementsThe comprehensive plans funded through this program must di-rectly address the project area’s disaster recovery needs. The plans are required to achieve the following:

• Analyze the impact of the floods of 2008, paying special atten-

tion to the areas and groups that were most adversely affected and the unmet “needs” that were created by the storm either directly or indirectly (e.g. infrastructure, housing, economic development)

• Recommend principles/policies designed to address the identified needs created by the disaster

• Outline strategies designed to mitigate or minimize future disaster damage

MSA’s Greg Crowe, AICP, client service manager, said the plans also must promote sustainable planning principles such as provid-ing more transportation choices, promoting equitable, affordable housing and enhancing economic competitiveness.

Following is a summary of some of the projects MSA helped communities complete through the use of IKE funds. City of Keithsburg MSA provided facilitation and support services for a Strategic Planning Initiative in Keithsburg. With guidance derived through this process, the City, in partnership with MSA, has completed prelimi-nary engineering analysis work to improve its levee system, water system, wastewater treatment plant and city streets.

The 2008 flooding devastated the City of Keithsburg. When the local levee breached, streets and homes were flooded.

IKE funds paid for the reconstruction of sections of Keithsburg’s Main Street (inset) and 10th Street.

What would downtown Gilbert, Minnesota look like with two lanes of traffic instead of four? As shown in these renderings, the additional space would allow for wider sidewalks for outdoor dining and streetscaping elements.

Landscaping and Streetscaping Plans- The term “streetscape” re-fers to the natural and built fabric of a street – its design quality and the visual impact it has on its users. A successful streetscape balances function with aesthetics, and creates a welcoming, safe and comfortable environment for all users. The streetscape of State Street in Madison, Wisconsin incorporates flexible, timeless and sustainable components.

Branding and Logo Design- Downtown is the heart of the commu-nity and in many places is central to community identity. A clear brand identity and associated logo can reinforce that identity, ei-ther for the downtown district alone or for the entire community.

Wayfinding and Community Signage Designs- Visitors won’t vis-it what they can’t find (or didn’t even know about). Coordinated signage can help draw people in to local attractions and reinforce community character and identity at the same time.

Financial Tools- Communities may consider a variety of funding sources, including tax increment financing, business improvement districts, and grant programs to implement a downtown redevel-opment plan. A clear understanding of funding options is impor-tant, because the plan can be written in ways that improve funding options.

InformationFor more information on redeveloping your downtown, contact Jason Valerius, AICP at [email protected]. Madison’s State Street is an iconic destination in the City’s downtown area.

Proposed Road Diet: From Four Lanes to Two Lanes

Planning for Action – Implementation Tools Land Use and Design Guidelines- Land-use policy is at the core of many community plans, but use often takes a back seat in a downtown setting. Downtown vibrance depends on a diverse mix of uses and a built environment that is attractive and pedestrian-friendly. Community leaders may implement design guidelines and standards to protect and enhance the built environment.

Keys to a Successful Downtown Plan

• Public participation and elected official support

• Analysis of current conditions

• A comprehensive development concept that inspires further engagement

• A realistic action plan tied to funding resources and a schedule for implementation

received a community planning grant of $75,000 through the Illinois Disaster Recovery Pro-gram. These planning dollars were made available through a federal disaster declaration from 2008 storms and flooding caused by Hurricane Ike.

Rankin was instrumental in developing the plan, noted Ready. One of its goals is to mitigate or minimize future disaster damage. Additionally, the plan focuses on improving critical infrastructure, housing, transportation and economic development.

Rankin said the Rapids City Comprehensive Plan helped municipal officials and other participants look at their community assets and decide where they wanted to go as a village. Rapids City, located in the Quad Cities metropolitan area along the banks of the Missis-sippi River, is a mostly residential community. The village president doesn’t want to see random development in the future. Instead, he said officials should refer to the plan when making decisions about how the village is going to grow.

Rankin, a 33-year resident of Rapids City, has served as a trustee for six years and will end his second term as village president in 2016. He’s successful worked with the Board to reduce the com-munity’s debt, one of his main goals.

Rankin praised the community’s village trustees. “They’ve been an excellent board to work with,” he said. “They’re great people and problem solvers; that’s what I like.”

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City of Eureka The 2008 flood waters damaged the City of Eureka’s wastewater treatment plant, park facilities, school ball field and roadways. MSA worked with the City to develop implementation studies to accompany the comprehensive plan. This combination of tools provides the City with a holistic way to mitigate future flooding problems.

Whiteside CountyIKE funds allowed Whiteside County to create its first comprehen-sive plan, adopted in July 2014. Over the course of a year, MSA facilitated a broad public process using public meetings, stakehold-er interviews, mail and online surveys and a series of meetings with a diverse steering committee. The approved document features an action plan to help county staff and elected officials prioritize projects.

InformationCrowe indicated that comprehensive plans can help direct a com-munity’s future and position it for available grant funding. For more information, contact Crowe at [email protected].

Rankin’s analytical training helps solve Rapids City’s challengesSome municipal officials, like the Village of Rapids City’s Presi-dent Greg Rankin, have just the right background for their posi-tion. Rankin often performed root-cause analysis in his work at the health physics department of Exelon Nuclear. Although Rankin has retired from Exelon, he is still using that training to investigate municipal issues, such as sanitary sewer inflow and infiltration.

Rankin also knows that any good municipal official has to spend a lot of time listening. “You never know where the next good idea is going to come from,” he said.

MSA Vice President Pat Ready, P.E. selected Rankin as this issue’s Illinois Community Star because, “Greg is always looking to move the Village forward and approaches projects in a pragmatic and organized fashion.”

One good way for communities to move ahead is to prepare a com-prehensive plan. With MSA’s assistance, the Village of Rapids City

City of Eureka (Photo courtesy Jeff McSweeney)

Rapids City is located along the banks of the Mississippi River. (Photo courtesy Alex Wilson)

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Village of Rapids City’s President Greg Rankin

Redevelopment Visions and Concept Plans– Pictures help stake-holders understand and react to potential projects. Redevelop-ment visions and concept plans can generate enthusiasm for change and provide the basis for policy limits on redevelopment. Sauk City, Wisconsin, situated on the banks of the Wisconsin River, adopted a redevelopment vision to set appropriate limits on the scale of redevelopment in its historic downtown.

In Gilbert, Minnesota, MSA crafted a community-wide land-use plan that included downtown redevelopment strategies and ac-tions to foster economic growth, while honoring the community’s roots and small town values.

In Port Byron, Illinois, the Village was adversely impacted by “Hurri-cane Ike” which cause flooding issues for many communities along the Mississippi River. The Village’s Downtown Development Plan, funded by HUD and allocated by the State of Illinois, addressed disaster relief and restoration to infrastructure, housing and economic revitalization. MSA helped nine communities obtain $875,000 of funding support through the Illinois Disaster Recovery Program (IDRP). These “IKE” monies were used for comprehensive planning and implementa-tion studies with no local match required. (See related article on Page 12.)

Brownfield Site Assessment & Remediation– Few downtown sites are clean sites. The redevelopment process often requires the identification and remediation of site contaminants. The City of Mauston, Wisconsin remediated two brownfields as part of its downtown revitalization plan.

The public participated in the development of Eureka’s 2034 Comprehensive Plan. (Jeff McSweeney photo)

A City of Hastings, Minnesota reconstruction project included an extension of 12-inch watermain, rehabilitation of the existing street section and extension of the City’s trail system.

Successful projects require the involvement and support of mu-nicipal officials, businesses and residents. Our downtown designs incorporate local knowledge and wisdom. For instance, if a visioning group seeks redevelopment of an underutilized area, plans may need to call for an upgrade to utilities and other infra-structure, or remediation of soil contamination unknown to the State, but known to longtime residents.

14 3www.msa-ps.comWisconsin

Village of Birchwood officials knew they had a big problem. Their aging wastewater treatment facility could not meet state-imposed nitrogen limits and expected improvements were going to cost millions of dollars. To add to the challenge, the facility serves a population of 435 individuals and local businesses, and there were tight site constraints. Village officials, under the leadership of Village President Morris Gillett (see related article), turned to MSA for assistance. In re-sponse, MSA developed a team consisting of engineers, planners and funding specialists. The community’s tough challenge was going to require some atypical solutions. MSA identified wastewater treatment needs and then evalu-ated solutions in the facility planning stage. The existing aerated lagoons had sludge build-up that reduced the holding time for treatment and the 30-year-old aeration system was inefficient. The existing system facilities were not capable of meeting new regulatory requirements and several of the lift stations in the collection system were obsolete. The Village Board approved the following Facility Plan recommendations:

• Replace Lift Stations 2 and 4; retrofit Lift Station 3• Add influent fine screening and upgrade the aerated lagoons• Add a treatment process for nitrogen removal

Grants pay for 83% of Birchwood’s treatment plant project

MSA’s wastewater team recommended installation of a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) for nitrogen removal, one of the first times this system has been used for this purpose in Wisconsin. This system is well suited for Wisconsin’s cold winters and can be installed on a small site.

The Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR) is filled with plastic media during construction. It will remove nitrogen during wastewater treatment.

INFLUENT

MECHANICALFINE SCREEN

COVERED AND BAFFLED AERATED LAGOON #1(INITIAL TREATMENT)

MBBR TANKS(NITROGEN REMOVAL)

COVERED AND BAFFLED LAGOON #2(SETTLING)

SEEPAGE CELLS (DISPOSAL)

BIOFILM CARRIERS

AERATED AERATED MIXED

This vision shows a potential redevelopment of a downtown block in Sauk City, Wisconsin.

The influent travels through the mechanical fine screen and Aerated Lagoon #1 for initial treatment. The wastewater then flows to the MBBR tanks for additional treatment, including nitrogen removal. The tanks contain small plastic media suspended in wastewater which act as biofilm carriers for the microorganisms that remove nitrogen. The treated wastewater then flows from the tanks to Lagoon #2 for settling and is discharged from the facility through existing seepage cells. Oconomowoc’s reconstructed Wisconsin Avenue creates an attractive gateway

to the downtown and is encouraging economic redevelopment.

Study and VisioningCommunities may consider the following tools for use with their visioning process:

Market Analysis– Many communities have a laundry list of ameni-ties in their desired downtown, such as specific retailers. A market analysis can help identify market-viable downtown uses to target for attraction and development.

Parking Analysis, Traffic and Transportation Plans– Successful downtowns require safe transportation infrastructure for all users, convenient access and smart parking management. Evaluating a downtown’s parking needs and identifying strategies to meet and manage parking demand is crucial.

This 3-D rendering of Sauk City’s main street shows potential streetscape improvements and redevelopment.

“It was a very good project,” he said. “I didn’t know much about the moving bed biofilm reactor until it was built and Mike Hagness of MSA showed me how it worked.”

Besides his efforts to develop a new wastewater treatment facility for Birchwood, Gillett also decided that the community needed a thrift shop. Five years ago, he helped open one in the basement of the Village Hall.

Gillett praised the board members for their support. Bob Hayes, a former board member, is now completing Gillett’s term that ends with the April election.

As a public official, Gillett said he always tried to do everything pos-sible to help his constituents. “Too many people are in politics for themselves; that’s not the way it ought to be,” he said. “Remember why you’re there.”

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A new playground is one of the many new amenities at the park.

Some people spend their entire lives contributing to their commu-nities. Just look at Morris Gillett, almost 91. He served on the Village of Birchwood Board for 11 years, including seven years as president. He resigned in December because he wanted time to pursue other interests. As a public official, Gillett was always looking for ways to help out his constituents. “I see a need and try to get it done,” he said.

One of his big concerns was improving the community’s waste-water treatment facility to meet state regulations. Gillett and the Village Board accomplished that goal with the help of MSA. The community now has an upgraded $4.7 million wastewater treat-ment facility and lift stations with 83% of the cost paid by grants.

“The economics of the community are so difficult,” he explained. “That’s why grants are so essential.”

MSA’s Dave Rasmussen and Teresa Anderson, P.E. worked with Gillett to obtain grants for the wastewater treatment facility in addition to other projects, including improvements to Main Street.

Gillett spent much of his career in Texas as a geophysicist helping to find oil. He later worked as a consultant and retired in Birchwood in 2000 to be near his children who have since moved away. Gillett’s technical background provided value during the planning, design and construction of the wastewater treatment facility. He was fas-cinated by the process and helped to obtain property easements for the lift stations.

The total project cost for Birchwood’s wastewater treatment facility and lift station project was $4.7 million. With MSA’s help, the community obtained $3.9 million in grants to pay for 83% of the cost. Funding sources included the following: • Community Development Block Grant: $500,000• Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Clean Water Fund Principal

Forgiveness (Grant): $500,000 • WDNR Clean Water Fund Hardship Program Grant: $2,937,544 • WDNR Clean Water Fund Hardship Program Loan (0% interest, 20-year term): $758,947

“We were glad we could obtain the needed funding for Birchwood,” said Teresa Anderson, P.E., MSA engineer and client liaison. “Small communities do not benefit from the economy of scale enjoyed by larger communities, yet they are subject to the same regulatory re-quirements. Grants and subsidized loans make these projects affordable to the residents and businesses in the community.”

For information about grants and funding opportunities, contact [email protected]. For additional information about ways to meet chang-ing wastewater treatment regulations, contact Teresa Anderson at [email protected].

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Morris Gillett shows off the new stainless steel control cabinet at one of the Village’s upgraded lift stations

Bob Beffa, left, and Tucker Fee, wastewater treatment facility operators, check out their new chemical feed pumps.

Reflections With gasoline prices and the stock markets now doing much better than they were even before the Great Recession, one might be forgiven for think-ing that all of the damage done between 2007 and 2009 has been undone. But what might be true on Wall Street is seldom true on Main Street. Those of us who have a role in maintaining our country’s great infrastructure know better.

State and local governments lagged going into the recession, and have lagged coming out. The result is that many communities deferred mainte-nance on roads and utilities, and some still are. Our infrastructure did not stop aging or improve its condition while we were hunkering down, so now we find ourselves having to play catch-up.

At the same time, our labor force participation rate will continue its decline over the next 10 years. The retirement of baby boomers will more than offset any gains made in employment rates made as a result of a recovering economy.

The upshot of these two trends is that we will all need to literally do more with less. Our productivity rate will need to increase as we address our problems of aging infrastructure. How will we do that? The answer most likely lies in being able to excel in three areas:

• Technology investments: GIS-based asset management systems can help to capture the institutional knowledge of long-time employees.

• Innovation: The “same-old, same-old” won’t get it done any more. Is your organization ready to tap into the next good idea that floats its way to the surface from your front-line staff?

• Flexibility: As our workforce changes, we as employers need to ac-commodate a greater range of needs if we are to meet our challenges. Longer life expectancies mean retiring workers are healthier and still want to work part-time. We also need to accommodate working parents and millennials whose concept of working time and environment will be different than that of our parents. Attracting and retaining a talented and diverse workforce will mean reinventing ourselves as employers.

While some of these things may sound dramatic, they are nothing more than the current flavor of what has gotten us through every challenge: good old American ingenuity and resolve.

Best regards,

Gil Hantzsch, President/CEO

What’s your downtown vision?Are you a community leader looking to enhance your community’s downtown? Is there a major street re-construction project in your future? Is a grass roots effort emerging to revitalize the downtown to combat a loss of businesses? MSA’s urban planners, engineers and other specialists can work together to help you maximize opportunities and plan for the future.

Planners can help communities by assessing their strengths and weaknesses and establishing the tools necessary to support a strong downtown. Through smart design of public and private improvements, planners can strengthen the economic and social well-being of neighborhoods and communities.

Our engineers realize that improving a community’s downtown involves so much more than replacing the surface of a main street. Communities with foresight can reinvent themselves through reconstruction proj-ects. Businesses benefit when municipalities upgrade their downtown. Visitors and residents want to en-joy “pedestrian-friendly” civic centers with excellent amenities.

Gillett leaves legacy of tackling tough issues in Birchwood

Elgin’s Center Street borders an attractive downtown city park that features a Swiss-theme clock tower that was made possible by donations of funds, material and labor.


IN THIS ISSUE

Environmental testing can help prevent costly surprises 6

Elgin’s renovated Center Street impresses residents and TV crew 10 Grants pay for 83% ofBirchwood’s treatment plant project 14

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MSA TodayEditor:Leslie Blaize, [email protected]

Contributing Writers/Designers:Shelley Granberg and Alyssa Scheuneman

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