City of Mequon Weekly Bulletin - September 7, 2018

Upcoming Meetings
Public Welfare Committee: September 11 - 6:00 P.M. (Agenda)
Finance-Personnel Committee: September 11 - 6:30 P.M. (Agenda)
Public Works Committee: September 11 - 7:00 P.M. (Agenda)
Sewer Utility District: September 11 - 7:15 P.M. (Agenda)
Common Council: September 11 - 7:30 P.M. (Agenda)
Library Board of Trustees: September 12 - 6:00 P.M.
Bike & Pedestrian Way Commission: September 13 - 8:00 A.M.

Grant Funding Sought to Further Shoreline Protection Efforts
In 2017, the Wisconsin Coastal Management Program and its partners were awarded a NOAA Coastal Resilience Grant to help communities in southeast Wisconsin (adjacent to Lake Michigan) prepare and plan for hazards like erosion, storms, and water level changes.  The intent of the program is to develop strategies to enhance community capacity to prepare and plan, by:

• Organizing regular meetings for communities in the region to learn about, share lessons on, and form collaborations to address coastal hazard issues.

• Mapping historic shoreline recession rates to aid planning efforts along the coast.

• Developing guidance and training on practices to reduce coastal hazard risks, including nature-based shore protection, erosion-resilient beach practices, and harbor maintenance planning.

• Working with communities to assess coastal hazard vulnerabilities, identify opportunities to enhance resilience, and fund the development of plans to mitigate coastal hazard risks.

Directors Tollefson and Lundeen have attended program meetings and webinars to stay informed and to further Mequon’s participation in this program. The project now has a website at https://sewicoastalresilience.org/, which features information on coastal resilience topics, and helpful resources including coastal hazards, resilience resources and tools, updates on water levels, summaries of past meetings and an event calendar. The program is now seeking proposals from local governments to plan and prepare for coastal hazards. A total of $250,000 in grants is available for activities such as assessing hazard risks, planning strategies to mitigate risks, and providing public outreach on coastal resilience. Recently, staff completed a Coastal Resilience Self-Assessment as a first step in obtaining assistance in developing local project ideas and possible funding available through the project. Mayor Abendroth has encouraged staff to pursue a grant; applications are due October 5.

Logemann Center Demolition Complete; Rennicke Field Light Pole Relocated
The demolition of the Logemann Center has been completed by Shoreline Contracting Services.  Removal included exterior foundation walls, and removal of all other walls, partition walls, columns, piers, beams, or other projections, all footings, and a communications tower.  The site was filled, leveled, and graded. The area where the former building stood has been back-filled with granular material that will serve as additional parking until a new civic campus parking lot is built on the site. Temporary fencing has been erected along the eastern and northern edges of the temporary parking area. Additionally, staff has solicited Fahrner Asphalt Sealers to apply a double chip seal on this temporary parking area to provide a hard surface and to make snow removal possible this winter. In a separate project, Pieper Power Electric has erected a new outfield light pole close to the outfield fence along Rennicke Field. This new pole replaced an old wood light pole that was located adjacent to the Logemann Center, which conflicted with the site of the new proposed parking lot. The new pole and light are now operational; removal of the old pole and its remaining in-ground portion will be completed in the coming week.

Gateway Project, Fundraising Efforts Move Forward
The Town Center Gateway Committee has taken action to postpone bidding and construction of the Gateway feature until 2019.  The decision was strategic, as recent projects issued for bid this summer have been approximately 25% higher than estimated. Staff attributes this to a less competitive bidding season, a short construction timeline and increased costs for materials and labor. In addition, at the time when bids were to be released, the Committee was just initiating fundraising efforts. The Committee intends to let the bid in December with a late January 2019 submission deadline and construction next spring. 

Currently, the project is featured in the City Hall atrium and will be on display at the Taste of Mequon to raise awareness, as well as to provide information on how to donate. Committee members have been provided hand-held computers with all design plans, site fly-overs and material samples and colors to use when visiting prospective donors. The City understands that the fundraising is off to a very good start with some significant dollars pledged. A copy of the promotional brochure and donation form developed by Groth Design and City staff is attached.  Please take a moment to view the materials at City Hall or at the Taste of Mequon this weekend.