Wakefield council funds sewer study for campground

By P.J. GLISSON

news@yourdailyglobe.com

Wakefield — Members of the Wakefield City Council voted Monday evening to approve the start of an engineering study in relation to a pending sewer upgrade at the Eddy Park Campground on Sunday Lake.

The Escanaba office of C2AE will conduct the study, for which its project engineer, Darren Pionk, presented a $7,000 estimate.

City Manager Robert Brown, Jr. said that costs of materials are not yet factored in, and he added that the city also will contribute in-house labor expense. He added that the grand total of all costs could go beyond $20,000.

Brown suggested that one way to pay the costs would be by raising the rates of 28 campsites by $300 per year for seasonal rates, for a total gain of $8,400 per year.

“Isn’t that kind of a big increase?” asked council member James Anderson.

He also questioned how each site is valued. “The ones on the lake should pay more because they’re on the lake,” said Anderson.

Brown, however, explained that the current most expensive seasonal rates are $1,300, and those have less to do with lakeside location than they do to concrete slabs or full utility hookups.

“Three hundred dollars is a lot,” added council member Amy Tarro. “That’s just my opinion. I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Anyone from out of the area thinks we’re very cheap,” said city clerk Sue Ahonen.

Tarro also pointed out that seasonal rate payers typically are local residents, but Mayor Dale White said that people from outside the region also have interest in those opportunities.

“I don’t think we’re starving for people wanting seasonal spots,” he said. “By putting in that sewer system, I don’t think we’ll ever get a complaint about our rates.”

He said the campground already has improved its value by increasing internet access.

Brown said it’s possible to settle on a lower rate hike or to use money from the city’s critical sewer issue funds, but he clarified that if those funds are tapped, “I’d like to pay that back as soon as possible.”

The city manager also emphasized that comparing the value of the campground with other campgrounds is difficult because each one can be so unique in relation to its geographical region, various amenities, views, etc.

During the virtual meeting, Brown showed a campsite map of work to be done in two phases, with the first to be done this year and the second to start in 2022.

He also reported that the campground resulted with an average capacity of 61.29% full at any given time in the past year.

“The city never tracked site usage before,” said Brown, adding that he had spent the past weekend tallying the numbers after Tarro requested him to work out an estimate.

Brown said that some popular sites have 100% occupancy, whereas a couple sites are used only rarely, as for holiday spillovers. He said the rarely used sites throw off the estimate of overall campsite use.

Brown concluded that enhanced tracking will be the aim for this year’s season and added of the comparative estimates from last year, “We’ll have a good baseline.”

In other news, the city manager and mayor reported that City Attorney Ray O’Dea has negotiated a purchasing cost of $400,000 for pending property in the industrial park.

Brown said the property — which the city hopes to use as a Public Works site — recently was appraised by R.T. Williams Agency, Inc. in Ironwood at $426,000, which was substantially lower than an original appraisal of $620,000 from 2018.

White praised the city attorney and city manager for their success in achieving the best possible purchasing cost.

The council’s next regular meeting will be on March 8 at 5:30 p.m. The Planning Commission also will meet on March 9 at 5:30 p.m. Due to pandemic restrictions, persons wishing to attend either of the online sessions should first call the municipal building at 906-229-5131 for access information.