On Thursday, I posted about a technical memo on the City of Whitewater’s website, entitled, ‘Wastewater Facility Poised for Upgrades: Memo 4.’ The memo concerned the digester at the wastewater facility, and contained one line of text: ‘Technical Memorandum #4 – Digestion Complex and Energy Production – In Progress.’
In my post, I said that I would send along an email to City Manager Clapper, inquiring about the status of that aspect of the broader wastewater facility upgrades. Yesterday, City Manager Clapper replied to my email, with an update about the overall project and the digester portion more particularly.
Appearing below I have the full text of City Manager Clapper’s email, which he offered both in reply and to pass along to readers. (It’s better to offer the full text rather than it would be to summarize it imperfectly.) Thereafter, I’ve added my original email from Thursday, so that one will be able to see both parts of this correspondence.
The next presentation on the wastewater facility (and the portion of it concerning the digester proposal) is now likely for 12.16.14 at Common Council (with other presentations thereafter).
Here are the two emails —
Reply from City Manager Clapper, Friday, December 5th:
John,
Thank you for the email and your question. Earlier this year, the City entered an agreement with an energy service company, Trane, for the completion of a feasibility study regarding a potential project related to the digester complex at our wastewater treatment facility. As a result of this study, it was anticipated that Technical Memorandum #4 (TM4) might not be necessary. However, as City staff continued to work both with Trane on the digester study and with Donahue & Associates on an update to the Wastewater Facility Plan, it became apparent that completion of TM4 was warranted. Donahue & Associates began work on TM4 in late September and will be able to complete it very soon.
In an effort to clarify the details of the proposed construction project, Donahue & Associates will likely present information to the Common Council on December 16. Donahue will discuss both the digester complex project (the subject of TM4) and the larger facility improvements project addressed in TM1-TM3 and TM5-TM8. Following the December 16 meeting, staff will also be providing multiple public information meetings to help explain the current need for facility improvements and the proposed project(s). Dates for these meetings will be scheduled and posted following Donahue’s presentation on December 16, 2014.
Hopefully this information is helpful for you and for your readers. Please feel free to email or call with any additional questions.
Respectfully,
Cameron Clapper
Email to City Manager Clapper, Thursday, December 4th:
Good morning, City Manager Clapper
I hope this note finds you well, and enjoying the beginning of December.
I’m writing about information posted on the City of Whitewater’s website, concerning upgrades to our city’s wastewater facility (http://www.whitewater-wi.gov/residents/recent-news/2803-wastewater-facility-poised-for-upgrades).
Among the items posted is Technical Memorandum #4 – Digestion Complex and Energy Production ((http://www.whitewater-wi.gov/images/stories/public_works/wastewater/Donohue_Technical_Memo_4_-_Digestion_Complex_and_Energy_Production.pdf). That memorandum is brief, stating only, “Technical Memorandum #4 – Digestion Complex and Energy Production – In Progress.”
This prompts an obvious question: When can Whitewater’s residents expect an update on the status of this ‘in progress’ Digestion Complex proposal?
Wastewater Superintendent Reel first mentioned this proposal just over a year ago; an update to this community would seem reasonable.
I’ve a post at FREE WHITEWATER this morning along these lines (https://freewhitewater.com/wastewater-facility-poised-for-upgrades-memo-4/), and will post for readers any information that I might receive in reply from you.
Yours,
JOHN ADAMS
adams@freewhitewater.com
www.freewhitewater.com
So you did get an answer! It’s a good sign for the city that there was an answer to your email. I completely agree that the digester part of all this is a huge mistake but it’s much, much better overall for the city manager to answer as part of every day business. You will have time to see how the digester part develops and respond.
I have commented about this before.For you, the big question will be whether the city sees these as separate components or insists on all of it.(They have to do some big upgrades so nothing is not an option.) If I get this plan right then a digester could be a separate part they would not have to have. You will have to wait and see how they push this project.
I also agree about getting a reply. There is no way you would have had one under the last city manager. It is better this way. It’s not like you don’t live in the same town. Pretending you don’t exist is stupid and didn’t get Brunner anywhere anyhow. It just made him look weaker than he already was.
This kind of dialogue is smarter and more professional. The emails between you and Cameron Clapper are normal ones. That’s the way it should be. It is also progress by itself.
Just stay vigilant. 🙂