By Michael S. Hoey
CORRESPONDENT
The Town of Delavan board approved the next steps toward dredging the Mound Road sediment ponds beginning in July on Jan. 18. The board approved engaging Peter Berrini at a cost not to exceed $12,000 to take the next two steps.
Mary Knipper, chairman of the Lake Committee, said the committee recommended Berrini because there were not any other options available right now and Berrini has worked with the town before. Knipper said the next two steps must be completed and approved by the Department of Natural Resources before anything else can get done.
The two steps that Berrini will act on the behalf of the town for include an engineering design plan and a dredging wastewater permit.
The town received a letter from Glenn Dickow, Dan Lemanski, and James Campbell supporting the contract with Berrini. The letter said some members of the Lake Committee did have some concerns as the recommendation was approved by a 4-2 vote. The concerns were about asking for cost data or a quote for the work, according to the letter. Dickow, Lemanksi, and Campbell said there should be no questions about Berrini’s qualifications or integrity.
“Peter Berrini has been one of the most active and instrumental assets the town has employed in recent years to ensure the health and well-being of Delavan Lake,” the letter stated.
The letter said Berrini has in the past completed the Delavan Watershed Plan, the Mound Road Pond Assessment, and the Mound Road Dredging Plan for the town.
The motion to engage Berrini for the next two steps was approved by the board unanimously.
The board also approved at a cost not to exceed $69,300 participating in the 2022 United States Geological Survey Lake Monitoring Program. Knipper said there were some questions at the committee level about who pays what percentage of the cost between the town and the Delavan Lake Sanitary District. Lake Committee Co-Chairman Katherine Gaulke said those questions had been answered.
