The New Richmond City Council discussed its wastewater facility planning, a potential therapy dog for the New Richmond Police Department, a potential industrial park and the future of the Park Board at the work session on Monday, April 28.
In February of 2025, the Utilities Commission and council agreed to contract with the consulting firm MSA Professional Services to update the Wastewater Facility Plan, and to explore options for processing biosolids.
Currently, wastewater is treated in New Richmond and the by-products of the treated wastewater are transported to the West Central Wisconsin Biosolids Facility in Ellsworth, Wis.
Due to the age of the regional facility and continued growth in the area, several costly upgrades are being considered soon, so the city is evaluating whether to continue to participate in the regional biosolids facility or pursue an alternative path forward.
The City of River Falls’ sludge processing facility proved to be more cost effective than continuing to haul their sludge to Ellsworth. This information prompted the city to consider its biosolids treatment and disposal options to determine the most cost-effective path for the future
MSA provided the work session meeting with 10 alternatives, some of which include drying sludge to Class A biosolids at New Richmond, hauling cake to Ellsworth and constructing a scaled down version of the drying facility similar to River Falls’ facility.
The council reviewed the alternatives and discussed what may be the best moves going forward, like asking for further financial clarifications.
“I definitely think we need to understand the math. I appreciate what you did, [but] the math is not very straight. There are contingencies,” said Alderperson Mike Montello on Monday night.
Recently the New Richmond Police Department received a donation from the American Legion Butler Harmon Post 80 for $5,000 earmarked for officer wellness. The therapy dog would be available for officer mental health, juvenile interviews, building community relationships in the schools and with children and community outreach.
“Our guys need that check in. Just kind of reset before they go on the next call, make sure that they’re physically ready, “ said New Richmond Police Chief Craig Yehlik. “But it’s not just for police officers. This is for the community. Part of our main statement at the police department is building community relationships, and we think that this will help.”
After discussing the financial logistics of having a therapy dog with the department, Alderman Mike Montello made a motion to proceed with getting more information on the cost.
Yehlik estimated that, if this item passes accordingly, the therapy dog and its handler would most likely be on staff by 2026.
The council agreed to direct staff to proceed with a request for a proposal for a new industrial park in New Richmond.
Forward New Richmond, a citizen-led volunteer group, made a recommendation to solicit proposals from qualified consultants to assist with planning for future industrial development on the north side of New Richmond. It’s expected that the cost of such services could be over $50,000 depending on the project scope and deliverables.
This item provoked discussion over whether the city should welcome another industrial park or not. The majority supported the development due to the area’s expected and ongoing growth.
Alderperson Greg Gartner added it’s a matter of “when” this development is needed — not “if.”
Towards the end of the evening, some council members debated on the future of the city’s Park Board.
The council approved a motion that permits the Park Board to operate similar to other committees relative to council recommendations and to take a future vote on the potential combination of the Park Board and Public Works Committee.
The Park Board will continue to oversee park related funding and activities and meet throughout the year.
At the March work session, there was discussion about the Parkland Trust Fund and the ability of some boards and commissions, such as the Park Board, to approve expenditures, like those that were not otherwise included in an approved capital plan and without city council authorization.
Expenditures under the Parkland Trust Fund can cover projects like the County Road A Trail and the upcoming County Road K trail.
When it comes to the operation of a Park Board, City Administrator Noah Wiedenfeld explained that it varies from community to community.
“The Park Board itself is not a required order commission,” said Wiedenfeld. “Everybody takes a slightly different approach if they have a park board. So there are some non-statutory park boards or a statutory park board.”
Montello said it might be worth combining the Park Board with the Public Works Committee.
“Something better can be done than the current system that we have. It isn’t just about oversight. It’s about improving efficiency in our Public Works Department,” he said.
Alderperson Craig Kittel opposed Montello’s viewpoints by expressing that the separation of the two is appropriate.
“I just think both should be separate. That’s just my opinion. It’s been that way for 50 years. It’s worked just great for a long, long, long time. I just think they’re two different entities. They always have been,” Kittel said.
The next Regular Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 12 at the Council Chambers, 156 East 1st Street, New Richmond. The regular meetings are available on the City of New Richmond, WI YouTube channel.
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