Stormwater plan, shutdown discussed by council

The Waseca City Council heard a presentation during the regular meeting on Oct. 7  regarding the city’s stormwater pollution prevention plan and was assured funding from federal grants would not be affected by the federal government shutdown.

 

City Engineer Nate Willey presented the annual city stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) to the council as a part of the city’s MS4 permit responsibilities. The city is required to provide at least one annual opportunity for public input on the adequacy of the city’s SWPPP. 

 

Willey also said the presentation is to educate staff and the public of the city’s national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit requirement and raise awareness of stormwater related issues facing the city. 

 

There are three permit types: construction stormwater required for all projects disturbing one acre or more, industrial stormwater and the Municipal Separate Storm System (MS4) which covers the entire city. 

 

Willey said the current five-year MS4 permit was issued in Nov. 2020, with official coverage beginning in Nov. 2021. He added the city is waiting for a new permit to be issued due to the expiration date of the current permit. 

 

According to Willey, Waseca’s SWPPP is essentially an MS4 permit application with six minimum control measures and best management practices. 

 

The MS4 minimum control measures include public education and outreach, which Willey said is done through posting information on the city website; public participation and involvement, done through the annual public meeting ,and public access to all material posted online along with the Waseca lakes cleanup event; illicit discharge detection and elimination, which Willey said includes maintaining storm sewer systems, city code and penalties for illicit discharge or anything not water; construction site stormwater runoff control, which is included under the city code and penalties for erosion control and site inspections; post-construction stormwater management, which is the inventory of private stormwater best management practices like ponds according to Willey; and pollution prevention and good housekeeping, including taking care of “our own stuff and sites” according to Willley, and annual inspections. 

 

2025 MS4 improvements included nd Street NW storm sewer and water quality improvement, storm sewer improvements at the intersection of 4th St. SW and 7th AVe SW, street sweeping and fall leaf pick-up to reduce sediment and total phosphorus in the lakes and water systems, storm sewer inspections, and promoting park and lake clean up events. 

 

Willey said future MS4 improvements include Second Avenue Southwest storm sewer improvements near the HR Block building; miscellaneous storm sewer pipe and outlet repairs; continuing to comply with all other MS4 permit requirements; providing access to stormwater information and opportunities for public involvement; and partnering with the Waseca Lakes Association and Waseca County to improve water quality in both Loon and Clear Lakes. 

 

After the presentation, city manager Carl Sonnenberg asked Willey to explain why there is a backup of flow in the storm sewer system. 

 

“From time to time, when we have to release waste water from the sanitary sewer system into the storm sewer system, people in town might think there are valves to turn or gates to open in the storm sewer system. Could you explain why there’s a backup of flow?”

 

Willey explained there is a minimum requirement of a five-year storm event for the storm sewer design, which means having pipes that are large enough to handle roughly between two and three inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period. He said the intensity of the rain matters, as the intakes and pipes fill up and then the streets start to pond. It takes time for the water to flow out and then down. Willey explained that when the two to three inches of rain happens in 45 minutes instead of 24 hours, the system can’t keep up. 

 

Sonnenberg said that while they can try to get state aid funding to replace the system to be large enough to handle something more than a five-year storm event, the city would have to pay the difference and that public utilities currently don’t have the storm sewer rates that could accomplish that. 

 

During the meeting, City Finance Director and HR Manager Alicia Fischer updated council members regarding potential impacts of the federal government shutdown relating to Second Street Northwest reconstruction project funding. She said the city currently has over $3.5 million in federal funding on an ongoing project, but that the staff is looking into it and staying on top of it. Fischer added the two-grant funding is not being impacted as they are funded differently, but that city staff is continuing to monitor the situation. 

 

City Planner Jon Froke proposed an ordinance to rezone the properties at 2401 North State Street, formerly the Itron building. The address consists of two separate parcels currently zoned at I-2 (Limited Industry District) and the request was to rezone to I-2 (Moderate Industry District) in order to allow for development into a state licensed indoor cannabis cultivation facility. 

 

The council also passed a resolution of a liquor license violation for Coborn’s/Cashwise Liquor. The Police Department conducted alcohol compliance checks in December 2024, and citations were issued to Cashwise/Coborn’s Liquor for the sale of alcohol to a minor. The company admitted the violation and prepaid a possible fine of $250 along with re-educating their employees. The council passed the resolution of the $250 fine, with councilmember Stacey Schroeder adding, “Kudos to them for re-educating and taking it seriously.” 

 

Parks Director Brad Dushaw presented the council with an ordinance adopting a policy for the naming and renaming of parks, facilities, streets within parks and public places. The council approved the ordinance, as there previously wasn’t a policy. Councilmember Gary Conrath asked where the naming costs would come from, to which Dushaw replied it would be whoever brought the new name forward and wished it to happen. 

 

Executive Director at the Neighborhood Service Center and Food Shelf Cindy Kolander spoke during the public comment section. 

 

“I’m here tonight to stress the importance of considering our appropriation request for the 2026 funding,” she said. 

 

Kolander stressed that while some food is donated from places like Kwik Trip and Walmart, a majority of the food for the shelf is purchased. She said the shelf sent home 17,615 pounds of food to 585 families in September. 

 

“We’re afraid the need for families to utilize our foodshelf to provide food support will continue to increase throughout this year and well into 2026,” Kolander said. 

 

Along with that, she said the shelf has been impacted by the Second Street construction, which has reduced the thrift store’s income by half. 

 

Sonnenberg explained to the council that the city typically allocates $5,000 dollars to the shelf in the budget, but that Kolander is requesting an appropriation of $10,000. 

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:28 p.m.; the next regular city council meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m.