Planning continues as construction nears

By Julia Wolf

With construction on the Holcombe Area Veterans Memorial starting any day now, Memorial Planning Committee members heard updates on how everything is going, at a regular meeting Aug. 17.

Committee chairperson Jim Mataczynski shared information he gathered about sewer options for the memorial site.

“It’s really not anything that we have to do right away, but I like to have the numbers,” said Mataczynski.

He says he started by calling Jiffy Biffy, which is the company who donated use of a porta potty for the St. Patrick’s Day parade, to ask what their rates are. To have the porta potty cleaned every other week, the cost is $175, per month. To have a porta potty cleaned every week, the cost is $190, per month.

Mataczynski also looked into what installing a holding tank would cost and got an estimate of $8,500, plus pumping costs.

He also talked to the company who supplies the Town of Lake Holcombe’s sewer products. Mataczynski says there is a hookup fee, the cost of a lateral to get across the street, which he did not get a price on before the meeting, plus the estimated cost of $5,000 or less, for parts and installation to hook up the sewer, like the grinder pump. Mataczynski says he has another conversation planned with that person.

Member Ronnie Arts says it is a good idea to think ahead, but thought a porta potty would be a good temporary solution.

Other members thought it would be good to have something available for construction crews to use while they are working and voted to get a porta potty from Jiffy Biffy at the site, during the construction season.

“A lot of them are volunteers,” said Tim Marshall, committee member.

Walt Johnson, committee member, asked how much construction is anticipated in the next three months. Mataczynski says they are hoping to get all the cement work done and the flag poles installed, if the concrete is done in time.

Also on the topic of construction, Matacynski shared that he has not found anyone to do ditching and drainage, so committee members shared ideas of who to contact.

He also says he is staying in contact with the contractors, to see when they will have time to start.

The committee also received permission to clean up the trees and fence line to the east of the can cage, so a workday will be scheduled in September, after the next meeting.

Mataczynski also shared an update from the Campaign Committee. They are creating lists of potential donors and dividing up who will ask each potential donor.

There is also now a QR code, which takes people who scan the code right to the Community Foundation of Chippewa County’s donation page. The veterans memorial became part of the foundation, who will assist in the acceptance of donations and processing of disbursements for the memorial project.

The individuals working on the veteran registry are also in need of help.

“It’s not that difficult,” said Rhonda Mataczynski, committee member. “It can be time consuming.”

Those interested in helping can contact the Mataczynskis.