Shorewood, Whitefish Bay Agree to Cost Sharing Pact for Sewer Upgrades

In the course of completing sewer upgrades in Shorewood, village officials have identified improvements that will directly benefit neighboring Whitefish Bay.

That’s why on Monday, officials approved a cost-sharing agreement with Bay that stipulates they pay 18 percent of roughly $3 million in projects targeted for the northwest portion of Shorewood, said Trustee Jeff Hanewall.

Hanewall said Whitefish Bay officials identified components of the projects that proved beneficial.

Portions of the projects are already underway while others will stretch out over the next several years including improvements to the sanitary and stormwater sewer system. When the projects are finished, most sanitary sewer connections between the two communities will be cut.

• Complete coverage of Shorewood sewer issues

The cost share agreement took into consideration the mutually beneficial sanitary sewer work conducted along East Fairmount Avenue in Whitefish Bay in 2010 and planned sanitary and storm sewer upgrades along East Glendale Avenue.

The agreement stipulates the two communities will split the cost of a sanitary sewer pipe that would run west down East Glendale Avenue from North Bartlett Avenue to North Wildwood Avenue, and connect to another proposed waste water pipe on East Kensington Boulevard, and a stormwater pipe that would run west on Glendale Avenue from Wildwood Avenue to Estabrook Park.

Whitefish Bay will pay $550,000 total; $225,000 in 2012 and the other $225,000 once the stormwater pipe work is completed.

The agreement stipulates that Whitefish Bay would provide the funds in 2012, but the sanitary pipe work must wrap up by 2015 and stormwater pipe work by 2018. If it finishes late, Shorewood would be obligated to reimburse Whitefish Bay, plus interest.

"If the plan changes after the first phase is down and for whatever reason don't do the second phase, then we pay back the first $225,000," Hanewall said.

In addition to the new pipes, the $550,000 including engineering (15 percent of the total cost) for road construction associated with the sewer improvements, new manholes and 250 feet of sanitary sewer piping.