West Bend Lagoon Preservation Group

07/24/2026

A couple of agenda items on Monday's City Council meeting deserve a closer look.

The council is scheduled to consider adopting new Rules of Procedure for City Council meetings, a new Public Records Request Policy, and a fee schedule for public records requests.

These are the kinds of policies that don't make headlines very often, but they affect how City Hall operates, how citizens participate in meetings, and how public records requests are handled.

Before they're adopted, I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to read them for yourself. If you have questions or opinions, Monday night's meeting is the time to share them.

An informed community makes for better local government.

West Bend City Council
📅 Monday, July 27
🕖 7:00 p.m.
📍 West Bend City Hall

(Agenda and policy documents linked in the comments.)

07/03/2026

🇺🇸 Tomorrow, America celebrates 250 years of freedom. 🇺🇸

This Independence Day is especially meaningful as we celebrate 250 years of the American spirit—a nation founded on the belief that government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.

As we gather with family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy parades, fireworks, and community celebrations, let's also remember one of the greatest freedoms we have: our voice.

Take a few minutes this weekend to visit with your neighbors. Ask questions. Listen. Talk about our community and its future.

- Which elected officials have been listening to citizens?
- Which ones have been transparent and responsive?
- Which ones have earned your trust?
- Where do we need new ideas and new leadership?

Our Founding Fathers believed that government derives its power from the people. That principle is just as important in a small town as it is in Washington, D.C. Our elected city officials work for the citizens of West Bend—not the other way around.

In 2027, three seats on the West Bend City Council will be on the ballot. If we want to see positive change, the work starts now. We should be identifying, encouraging, and supporting thoughtful, community-minded citizens who are willing to step forward and serve.

The Save Our Lagoon movement has always been about more than wastewater. It's about transparency, accountability, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and ensuring that the voices of West Bend residents are heard.

This Independence Day, celebrate the freedoms that generations of Americans have fought to preserve. Then use those freedoms. Stay informed. Stay engaged. Encourage good people to run for office. And remember that every elected official serves at the consent of the people.

Together, we can build a stronger West Bend.

🇺🇸 Have a safe and happy Fourth of July, and God bless America!

06/28/2026

One Month Later... and It's Worth Celebrating.

It's now been one month since West Bend's wastewater lagoon returned to operating as a true three-cell system.

For years, the lagoon had effectively been operating as a single-cell system because critical valves had not been maintained or replaced. Today, those valves are finally in place, restoring the lagoon to the way it was originally designed to function. That's something our community should be proud of.

It's also a reminder that some of the most meaningful progress doesn't always require the biggest projects—it requires the willingness to solve the problems right in front of us.

At the same time, it's fair to acknowledge that these repairs could have been prioritized much sooner. The replacement valves had been needed for years, and even after the City Council directed that they be ordered early this year, it still took months before they were finally installed.

The important thing is that they're in place now, and West Bend is once again operating a true three-cell lagoon.

So what's next?

The next priority should be repairing and optimizing the lift station so it is operating reliably and efficiently. Once that's accomplished, the city can continue monitoring the lagoon's performance under normal three-cell operation and use real operational data to guide future decisions.

This past year demonstrated what can happen when residents stay informed, ask questions, and remain engaged. Better decisions come from transparency, accountability, and a community willing to participate in the process.

Let's celebrate this victory—but let's also keep the momentum going. There is still work to do, and West Bend deserves a wastewater system that is maintained proactively, not reactively.

Here's to continued progress.

06/19/2026

Local reporter Joe Formaro has an interesting article in the current edition of the West Bend Journal covering several important topics discussed during the June 8 City Council meeting.

While the proposed wastewater treatment plant project remains on the back burner for now as additional data is collected and evaluated, several other infrastructure issues are beginning to heat up.

Topics discussed included:

⚡ A proposed 3% electric rate increase

⚡ Future electric system improvements and capacity concerns

⚡ Growth in West Bend's electric demand

⚡ Potential battery storage and energy projects

⚡ Continued wastewater monitoring and data collection

⚡ Updates involving Skoglund Meat & Locker and Butter Braid

One of the biggest takeaways from the meeting was that city officials continue to gather more information before making major wastewater decisions, while at the same time planning for significant future infrastructure needs across multiple utility systems.

If you haven't had a chance to read this week's West Bend Journal, it's worth a look.

An informed community is a stronger community.

05/12/2026

The May 11th City Council Meeting video has been uploaded. Big thank you to Ben Golden for recording. Proposed sewer rate increase was approved by a 4-0 vote. (Brooke Winkelhorst was absent). The rate increase was encouraged by the city's financial advisor sighting lift station, I&I issues (inflow & infiltration) and possible waste water treatment facility upgrades. The proposed rate increase must be presented and voted on 2 more times before final passage or adoption by the city council. There is not a second May City Council Meeting due to the Memorial Day Holiday. Hit the follow button to stay informed.

Video of the May 11th City Council Meeting.

05/09/2026

Copy of Monday's agenda, as well as the ordinance for another sewer rate increase. Come to the meeting to hear about the reasons and see how our elected officials vote.

04/30/2026

Monday night’s council meeting included a presentation from Iowa Rural Water Association representative Shane Mertz, who shared his perspective on West Bend’s wastewater situation.

About Shane Mertz:
Shane is a wastewater technician with the Iowa Rural Water Association and a retired operator from the City of D**e. He brings decades of hands-on experience and practical knowledge in both water and wastewater operations, and is considered a valuable technical resource within IRWA.

From conversations following the meeting, it sounds like there was broad agreement in the room that Shane is a valuable resource for our community. Even ISG representatives reportedly aligned with his general assessment, which is encouraging as we continue working toward the best path forward for West Bend.

For those tracking lagoon-related items:

The council reviewed valve work at the wastewater treatment facility, with two bids received for the replacement of key lagoon valves—a positive step toward more competitive pricing and transparency.
As is often the case, agenda items were approved without much opposition, but it was good to see at least some competition on infrastructure work this time around.

The continued focus on lagoon operations, along with outside input like IRWA, reinforces something we’ve said from the beginning: there are knowledgeable, experienced voices available to help guide practical, cost-effective solutions.

We’ll keep pushing for:
✔️ Transparency in decision-making
✔️ Competitive bidding whenever possible
✔️ Thorough evaluation of lagoon-based solutions before locking into long-term alternatives

As always, we encourage residents to stay engaged, ask questions, and continue following the process closely.

More information = better decisions.

04/14/2026

Not much movement at tonight’s council meeting.

The control valves are still not in, which means we’re still not operating the lagoon the way it was designed.

Meanwhile, engineering costs continue to add up — another ~$14,900 to ISG this month alone.

At this point, the questions remain the same:
When do we get the lagoon fully functional?
And how much more will we spend before we do?

Watch the full meeting here: https://youtu.be/ELU193hgih8?si=gojrAoBPuBzMJNDE

As always, share your thoughts below 👇

04/02/2026

We’ve had a lot of questions from residents about what sewer bills could look like moving forward.

This document outlines the city’s current financial projections and assumptions behind those future costs.

Take a look and let us know your thoughts — what stands out to you?

03/26/2026

Pick up a copy of this week's West Bend Journal for reporting on the March 18th Public Wastewater Meeting, Public Property Tax Meeting and Monday's March 23rd City Council Meeting. It was a busy week for our town. Stay informed.