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City looking at getting rid of the stink…at waste treatment plant |
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The Caledonia City Council is looking at a number of different projects at the wastewater treatment plant in an effort to improve the smell that it sometimes emits. Administrative Coordinator Mike Gerardy presented the council with recommendations made by Winona Controls during the March 10 council meeting.
“We’re looking at doing this in a number of phases, so it’s not’s not such a big hit on the city all at once,” Gerardy explained. “This is something we really need to fix. The school has called when the wind has been just right, and they thought they had a gas leak.”
The five phases recommended by Winona Controls, which as an estimated total cost of $51,882, includes:
•Replacing the existing gas pipe from the digester outlet to the control building, and installing a new three-inch isolation valve inside the control building. Cost- $5,680.
•Purchase a new three-inch flame trap, regulator, relief valve, sediment trap and three manometers. Cost- $16,935.
•Installation of equipment in phase two and new piping within the control building. Cost- $5,358.
•Purchase new two-inch candle stick burner and control panel. Cost- $14,698.
•Installation of a new burner including a new four-inch underground gas line from the control building to the burner. Cost- $6,711.
•Estimated electrical cost to be done in conjunction with phase five- $2,5000.
Gerardy noted the city has checked into the possibility of capturing the methane produced at the facility and either using it in city vehicles or selling it. But the gas is too dirty, and would require an expensive scrubber system. The plant doesn’t produce enough methane to make it cost effective.
The council reviewed the recommendations but did not take any formal action. It was decided the work on the wastewater treatment plant would be paid through the enterprise fund.
Not much progress made
Mayor Mike Morey reported that he and former councilman Paul Fisch had met with representatives of the county concerning the proposed changes in zoning ordinances that would affect the county criminal justice center (CJC) proposed to be built in Caledonia.
“We didn’t make a great deal of progress at the last meeting,” Morey said. “They didn’t like the proposed 150 foot setback for facilities located next to a school or residential district. They feel the 150 foot setback would make large areas of land in the city unusable. But they didn’t take into account we can grant variances or conditional use permits.”
“I feel this is something we need to have in place to ensure we don’t have noise or other issues affecting residential neighborhoods,” Councilman Randi Vick noted. “People can always get variances if it’s something we feel is the right fit.”
Morey noted the current setback is 50 feet, but because the city has received numerous complaints about noise and other issues where the industrial zone backs up against residential areas, they felt there needed to be a larger buffer zone.
The proposed changes will be reviewed during a public hearing scheduled for March 24 at 7 p.m. Because a large crowd is anticipated to attend the public hearing, it will be held in the City Municipal Auditorium.
No tree program
Due to the very poor response, the city will not conduct a shade tree program this spring. According to City Administrator Bob Nelson, the city only sold 38 trees.
The city hasn’t had a shade tree program since 2002. Councilmembers felt more promotion of the program during the summer months might spur enough interest to conduct it next fall.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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