2022 Referendum to extend sewer/water to Richfield - commentary on FAQs, part six
Originally released FAQs by village September
FIFTEENTH FAQ
How would potential increased
development adjacent to Germantown
impact the Village economically?
Providing water and sewer service to Richfield’s
Northeast Corridor for a fee is anticipated to
drive additional development along the I-41
corridor.
ANSWER:
The stated development for this area of Richfield is a million SF warehouse, not unlike an Amazon distribution center. At the very least, the addition of utilities from Freistadt to the property north of Kwik Trip is an open invitation for roadside development. Gas stations, fast food restaurants, hotels and other establishments, not unlike at Highway Q and the freeway. These types of businesses are all dependent on customers on wheels.
Further, with more people comes the potential for emergency services. Richfield relies on the Washington County sheriff’s office for police and volunteers for fire/medical. They can’t find volunteers, according to their village website.
SIXTEENTH FAQ:
What kind of development is Richfield
considering for which water and
sanitary sewer services are necessary?
Does Germantown have any input
about the kind of development that
would occur?
Potential development in the Northeast Corridor
of the Village of Richfield may include office,
light industrial, logistics and warehousing
development. Any future development proposals
in this portion of Richfield would be determined
solely by the Village of Richfield.
ANSWER:
Not only does Germantown have no say in any development, per the Intergovernmental Agreement, the funds set aside for private well draw downs is not close to being adequate at $50,000 for the area described. What else is missing from the agreement? The cost that the community of Germantown, past and present, has invested in its utilities to the tune of over $50,000,000.
SEVENTEENTH FAQ:
Is there any precedent for Germantown
collaborating on utilities with other
communities?
Germantown and Richfield have previously
collaborated on utility service. The communities
entered into a cost-sharing agreement in
Fall 2021 to fund a height extension on the
Germantown water tower along Rockfield Road,
enabling the tower to provide sufficient water
pressure to potential future extensions
of service in Richfield’s Northeast Corridor.
More than 10 years ago, the Village of
Germantown entered into an Intergovernmental
Agreement with Menomonee Falls to
provide water and sewer utilities service to a
development along County Line Road because
Menomonee Falls had not extended its water
service to that development.
ANSWER:
The mention of collaboration on the water tower for well #12 shows that both village politicians have been expecting the extension of utilities for some time. All the meetings held regarding this matter were closed sessions because they didn’t want us to know what they were doing or saying. A private party contributed to the costs associated with the tower for stiffening the structure due to additional height. This party, apparently, also paid for a traffic study. Why is this not more public?
Regarding the Menomonee Falls agreement, it has ended.
See the resources page for more about this matter.