Mill Pond Dredging, Fire Station Designs on Village's To-do List

Menomonee Falls has a lengthy list of chores around the village for 2013 – a $7.4 million list.

Every year, the Village Board approves a capital improvements budget, which allots funds for road maintenance, sidewalk repairs, curb and gutter, and other major projects in the community. The board approved that list on Monday.

The village will fund the projects with roughly $5 million in available cash, and will borrow $2.3 million in bonds. The one-time cash allocation from the municpal improvements fund, which doesn't include sewer or water projects, would allow the village to keep the tax levy flat.

Additionally, the funding formula crafted by Finance Director Jason Kaczmarek would generate $22 million in cash in the improvements fund by 2029. 

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New Fire Stations

As the village continues to grow, the need to expand fire services follows. In 2013, the village has set aside $415,000 to design two new fire stations, which would both be constructed in 2014.

Fire Station #1, located just south of Main Street on Appleton Avenue, would be relocated to a new facility at Main Street and Menomonee Avenue at the former Sunnyside School location. The historic school building would likely be razed. Fire Station #5 would be constructed on Silver Spring Drive near One Mile Road.

Both stations would have similar designs in order to save tax dollars. Construction costs are estimated at a combined $5.8 million in 2014.

Mill Pond Dredging

Over the years, the depth of Mill Pond has fallen as sediment continues to pile up at the floor of the pond. The growing mound of sediment can have an adverse affect on the life of Lepper Dam, and the Department of Natural Resources recommends removing the sediment cyclically.

“The Mill Pond is slowly getting shallower all the time,” said Director of Engineering Tom Hoffman. “We plan to excavate about 4 feet of material.”

However, there’s no need to alter plans for photos this summer at the village’s most picturesque location. The pond would be drawn down after Labor Day, and would be dredged in winter just as it was 15 years ago.

“We didn’t want to do it during summer when everyone was out there enjoying it,” Hoffman said. “We discovered that the material is very loose and liquidity, and to handle that material in summer or fall would require us to add stabilizers to handle it. It’s much easier when it’s frozen.”

The village will also perform routine maintenance on the dam and replace the gates. The entire project is expected to cost $400,000.

Coming to a Street Near You

The village plans to spend $1.4 million on its asphalt paving, curb and gutter, and sidewalk replacement programs this year. There are also a number of major road projects. Most projects will occur throughout summer and into fall.

Here’s a listing of the streets pegged for repairs in 2013:

• 124th Street Repaving Project: The village has entered into a cost share program with Milwaukee to repave the 57-year-old road from Brown Deer Road to County Line Road. ($500,000)
• Silver Spring Drive: Waukesha County will reconstruct Silver Spring Drive from Jackson Drive to Lannon Road. Falls is responsible for sanitary sewer, water facilities, and street lighting. ($210,000)
• Christman Road: The road will be reconstructed from Maple Road to Princeway Drive. The ditches will be widened and enhanced storm water control will be added. ($1,070,000)
• Megal Drive: This road and the storm sewer underneath will be rebuilt from Cherokee Drive to Pilgrim Road. The area has experienced numerous water main breaks, and the road is in terrible condition. ($1,895,000)
• Mary Hill Drive: The road will be reconstructed from St. James Drive to the west in the Shepherd Hill subdivision. ($660,000)

Several plans for other roadway improvements will also be drawn up this year, but shovels won’t hit the dirt in 2013. Hoffman said they will also repave Menomonee Avenue west from Town Hall Road. A complete reconstruction of the roadway from Town Hall Road to Sheridan Drive is set to enter the design phase 2015 with construction in 2016 or 2017. However, Hoffman is working with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to determine whether that project would be under their scope.  

Pershing Avenue Trail

The village is proposing constructing a trail section that would connect to the Bugline Trail at Grand Avenue, and run on village owned property from Grand Avenue to Water Street. The path would be 10 feet wide and asphalt. The project includes a pedestrian bridge to cross the Menomonee River at the old rail trestle.

The project is in a bit of limbo because a property owner is disputing whether the village owns the land that would accommodate the trail.