Community Corner

Pike River Project Moves Forward by Narrow Vote

Mount Pleasant trustees voted 4-3 to continue with the next phase.

Work on the Pike River project will continue this year after the Mount Pleasant Village Board narrowly approved the contract with a 4-3 vote at the July 11 board meeting.

What is being termed "Phase 6a" stretches south for about a quarter-mile from Durand Avenue past the Promotions Unlimited property. The contract was awarded to C.W. Purpero of Oak Creek for just under $493,000, about $250,000 less than was budgeted.

Trustee Jerry Garski dissented and said it shouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone since he was the lone "no" vote against the budget last fall.

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"I voted against the budget before Governor (Scott) Walker ever took office and started the debate about the state budget," he noted. "Look at the economy. This isn't the best time to keep working on the Pike River."

But Trustee Sonny Havn, head of the Storm Water Commission and the de facto village leader for the Pike River project disagrees with Garski.

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He points to the fact that 300 acres of park space and recreation trails will be green for the village residents forever and that despite comments to the contrary, the Pike River does not cost residents anything extra.

"Parks and green space is the number two reason people and companies move to an area so what's the problem?" he stated. "Every penny spent on this project has come from state and federal grants, which is free money, or from the storm water fund which comes from fees every municipality charges for use of the storm water system."

Mount Pleasant homeowners pay an annual storm water fee of $55.

Despite his "no" vote on July 11, Garski said that doesn't mean he doesn't see value in the project. Instead, Garski feels the vote at the board meeting was a message that the village needs to slow down. Additionally, he said there are other storm water issues that need attention.

"On the north side if Highway 11 there are residents who have yards that flood because the pipe leading from the detention pond isn't large enough," Garski added. "But we're always talking about the Pike River."

Havn recognizes that trustees and residents want an update about the project so he and village engineering staff are putting together information packets that detail the history and components of each phase. Those documents are expected in the next few weeks.

Had the board not approved the contract, Havn said Phase 6a would have been shelved for this year with the only option being to bring it up again next year.

What do you think of the village's commitment to rehabbing the drainage channel for recreation?


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