Council delays vote on bill allowing SWL&P access to lead pipe funds

By Shelley Nelson - Superior Telegram

SUPERIOR — When city councilors meet again Feb. 19, they’ll consider a resolution involving federal lead pipe replacement funding.

The resolution was proposed by councilors Brent Fennessey and Mark Johnson on Wednesday, Feb. 5, but a vote was postponed. 



It would support a proposed bill to amend state law to allow a private company to use federal capitalization grant funds for lead line replacements.

State Sen. Romaine Quinn, R-Birchwood, and Rep. Chanz Green, R-Grand View, have announced they are introducing the bill.



If adopted by the Wisconsin Legislature and passed into law, the bill would allow Superior Water, Light and Power, its customers or potentially both access to the safe drinking water loan program administered by the state’s administration and natural resources departments.

Under current law, SWL&P, a private company, is the only owner of a community water system that cannot access the program that 

provides partially forgivable loans for modifications to public water systems. Quinn proposes to change that specifically to allow federal capitalization grants to be used for replacing lead service lines by a private owner of a community water system.

“This bill addresses the critical funding gap that disproportionately affects Superior residents,” Johnson said. Residents could save 50% or more of the cost when they are required to replace their lead service lines, he said. Johnson said the Superior Days delegation asked for the legislation last year.

However, funding for lead pipe replacements, required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s lead and copper rule, was dropped from the agenda for this year’s lobbying effort after delegates couldn’t reach a consensus about whether a private company should be able to access public funds.

“First of all, it’s a waste of our political capital,” Councilor Garner Moffat said Wednesday, Feb. 5. “Even if the council unanimously supported it, no one else in the state Legislature would want to support it because it puts their small public utilities in direct competition” for funding.

Moffat said it doesn’t make sense to use public funding to drive up the cost of SWL&P assets if the city reclaims the water utility. He said the city should have the information it needs to decide whether to seek to take over the city’s water system from SWL&P in about a year.

Johnson said he’s not opposed to the city taking over the private water utility, but the city doesn’t have a year to wait to change the law.

A survey of the materials used in the water system found 36% of the utility-owned side of the system and 7% of the company’s 10,000 customers will have to replace lead service lines.

Another 8% of the system is unknown. SWL&P has until 2027 to investigate the materials used in the water system, Joscy Skandel, SWL&P manager of regulatory compliance, policy and rates, told the Telegram.

COMMENTS

756-I have to say that I have not followed this lead water story super close. I’ve read the articles in the papers and everything on social media but one thing I have learned by following City Hall is that when they delay a vote at a City Council meeting it usually triggers the “Kiss of Death”. So I guess we will see how it plays out.

But I did find one little tidbit on Mayor Paine’s Facebook page. He posted this on Sept 6, 2024:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior

September 6, 2024·

SWL&P asked the Public Service Commission for a double digit rate increase. The City of Superior formally intervened and we’ve been fighting it for months now, especially the water increase. Superior has the only private water utility in the state and the highest rates because each increase includes an extra 10% for their shareholders. We asked the PSC to hold a public hearing in Superior rather than Madison so they can hear how this rate hike will impact our community.

MORE COMMENTS

DeeDee Fetters

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior You shouldn't have to reiterate that Jim. Anyone who knows you knows that you are above reproach and you do not, and have never, stooped to selecting which post to keep or get rid of to prove a point. You have always been the best thing that has happened to the Mayor's office ever and for anyone ever to infer anything different needs to try to do better!

THEN THE POST OF ALL POSTS

12-This one comes from the Mayor himself, the worst thing that has happened to the Mayor's office ever:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior, 

“We are considering just taking on the water utility ourselves. We know we can run it more efficiently”

Then a reader replied with the following:

Jim Paine, Mayor of Superior How can you make such a claim? What facts do you have to back up your claim of being more efficient?

COMMENTS

757- think it’s fair to say that we could add delusional to the Mayors resume. I really can’t believe he said that and not long after he did, the whole tax scandal blew up.

The Mayor claims he has a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Superior; Master’s degree in Advocacy and Political Leadership from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Based on his record as Mayor I would say those degrees aren’t worth the paper they were written on and I wouldn’t send my kids to those schools.

AND NOW A MOMENT OF CLARITY FROM SOUPNUTZ.NET

758-  JANUARY 7TH CITY CLOWNCIL MEETING : CITY COUNCIL SPENDS $2,000 TO FIND ARTISTS FOR GRANTS, BUT LEAD IN THE WATER? Council Says, ‘Let’s Circle Back..MAYBE.

February 4, 2025

Ah, the Superior City Council—where the motto might as well be “Spending your money so you don’t have to worry about it… or understand where it went.” The January 7th, 2025 meeting was another masterpiece of misplaced priorities, tone-deaf decisions, and the occasional bureaucratic shrug. Here’s the recap you didn’t know you needed.

Mayor Jim’s “Travel is Governance” Sermon

Mayor Jim Paine opened with an Oscar-worthy monologue about the transformative power of… travel. Because, obviously, the best way to govern Superior is to not be in Superior. In the last two years alone, Jim’s racked up thousands in travel expenses—because nothing screams fiscal responsibility like treating the city’s budget like an unlimited frequent flyer account.

He encouraged council members to attend professional conferences—even if they have nothing to do with their actual jobs. Want to learn about firefighting without being a firefighter? No problem. Considering a seminar on “Advanced Underwater Basket Weaving for Municipal Leaders”? Go for it! After all, it’s only taxpayer money.

The 3% Wage Increase—Approved Faster Than You Can Say “Recession”

Blink and you missed it. The council approved a 3% raise with the speed and enthusiasm of someone fast-forwarding through commercials. No debate, no questions, no “Hey, should we maybe discuss the fact that people are struggling to pay their bills right now?” It was like watching someone swipe right on every Tinder profile—zero discernment, maximum speed.

Lead in the Water? Just Add Bureaucracy!

A concerned resident brought up the small issue of—oh, I don’t know—LEAD IN THE DRINKING WATER. You’d think this would trigger alarms, a sense of urgency, maybe even a plan. Nope. The council nodded thoughtfully, promised to maybe, possibly, consider thinking about it later, then pivoted to the next agenda item as if lead poisoning was just an inconvenient typo on a memo. 



Because nothing says “we care” like treating public health hazards with the same enthusiasm reserved for reading warranty terms.

The Stop Sign Debate: Solving Problems, One Intersection at a Time

After six whole accidents at an intersection in just one year, the council heroically decided to install a four-way stop. Groundbreaking. Apparently, they needed statistical evidence that gravity works before acting.



Their logic? “Even a stop sign that lasts for a couple of years need only last for a couple of years. You can always take it out later.”

Wow. Truly revolutionary thinking. I eagerly await their next revelation: “Umbrellas are only useful when it rains.”

Public Art Grants: A Program So Popular, No One Applied

While residents are busy navigating skyrocketing taxes, crumbling infrastructure, and lead-tainted water, the council dedicated a solid chunk of time to—wait for it—public art grants. The best part?



Not a single person applied.

That’s right. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

So, what’s their solution? Spend $2,000 in taxpayer funds to advertise the free grants. Because when artists are struggling to pay rent, nothing screams “inspiration” like a bureaucratic flyer saying, “Hey, did you forget to apply for free money?”

Electric Car Charging Stations: The Suggestion That Was Met with Blinks

A resident suggested adding EV charging stations, and the council responded with the enthusiasm of someone being asked to explain quantum physics after two glasses of boxed wine. Blank stares, polite nods, and the silent internal scream of “What’s an EV again?”



Because if there’s one thing Superior excels at, it’s making progress feel like an awkward family dinner—everyone’s there, but no one knows what to say.

Final Thoughts:

The meeting wrapped up with all the urgency of a sloth on a lazy Sunday. No real solutions, just a buffet of bureaucratic filler and misplaced priorities. At this point, Superior’s new slogan should be:



“Where Leadership Takes Frequent Flyer Miles, and Common Sense Takes a Hike.”

COMMENTS

759-Another excellent article by Soupnutz, but the Mayor and City Council could cut back from two meetings a months to one. It’s just too much and it would give them more time to travel.

SOMETIME IT FEELS LIKE THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END

REASON # 1

Fridley basketball player attacked with pipe during  game in New Hope, five arrested

JANUARY 29, 2025 AT 7:43AM 

A Fridley High School basketball player is recovering from his injuries after he was attacked by five assailants during a game Tuesday night.

New Hope police arrested three adults and two juveniles in connection with the incident, which unfolded at Cooper High School shortly after the varsity boys basketball game between the Fridley Tigers and host Hawks began.

Three adults, a 19-year-old from Circle Pines and two 18-year-olds from Brooklyn Park, were booked into the Hennepin County jail on probable cause of riot. They remained in custody Wednesday morning.

Two juveniles were released to their parents or guardians, said New Hope Police Chief Tim Hoyt.

The five entered the gym and struck the player who was sitting on Fridley bench “with an object” believed to have been a pipe, Hoyt said.

“This was not random,” Hoyt said. “We know why it happened,” the chief added but said he could not say more about the attack.

Paramedics arrived to render aid to the student at the scene before taking him to a medical facility, Hoyt said. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known.

None of the parties involved were Cooper High students or enrollees in the Robbinsdale Area Schools, according to a letter sent to Cooper families by the district. The letter initially said six people were taken into custody.

School resource officers on site took immediate action, and coaches moved student athletes to safety, the letter said. The gym was placed on lockdown, and spectators remained inside until it was lifted, the letter said.

The attackers left the school and were arrested by New Hope police a short time later, the letter said.

“We are grateful for the swift actions of our SROs, coaches, athletic director and support staff who did an outstanding job keeping everyone calm during the situation,” the letter said.

“We remain committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for our school community.”

The game was postponed.

COMMENTS

I went to a basketball game and it turned into a hockey game.

REASON # 2

THIS FROM DEAR ABBY

Alcoholic wants to be in the room for grandchild’s birth 

Dear Abby >> I am an adult child of an alcoholic. My mother is a mean drunk. While growing up, I had to act as her therapist and deal with her co-dependency. I have been lucky to have processed a lot of the trauma in therapy and to have a loving and healthy family of my own now. We actively avoid Mom after 3 p.m. because I don’t want my kids subjected to her cruelty. I do not think it is healthy for them to be around abusive, inebriated people.

I am pregnant. My mom has always wanted to be in the delivery room for a birth. However, I would rather she not be in the delivery room with us. I don’t want to be around her when she’s drunk because of her tendency to make everything about herself, cause drama and upset me. I’d rather not have to deal with her narcissism while giving birth.



We had our first child during the COVID pandemic, so we had an excuse to not have her there. The birth was extremely traumatic, and we are lucky that our child made it. My godmother wants to be in the delivery room, since she could never have her own kids. I’d love for her to be there. We are very close and get along great. How do I broach the issue of wanting my godmother there but not my alcoholic mother?

— Delivering the News

Dear Delivering >> Here’s how: Stop pussyfooting around the subject and be completely honest with your mother. This birth experience is for YOU, not for her. The patient needs to be calm and relaxed and not be exposed to any toxic energy BECAUSE AN INCREASE IN THE BLOOD PRESSURE OF THE MOTHER CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE BABY. If your godmother provides the emotional support you need, you should have her with you, and make no apologies for it.

COMMENT

Dear Abby, could you please bring me and my kid a drink.

REASON # 3

I still can’t get over how Jaden Smith, son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith went to the Grammys dressed up as a castle.

COMMENTS

760-He paid $4,600.00 for that hat. I think Chris Rock should slap all three of them and I’m thinking that Reason # 3 should have been Reason #1.

FINAL THOUGHTS

That’s it for today’s Blog. On the last Blog I said: On the next I will be talking taxes, fake news and local politics featuring “Tooler Elmo” AKA Tylor Elm and “Jenny Van Popsicle” AKA Jenny Van Sickle and a lot more. I promise all that and my fascination with nicknames too. See you soon.



Thanks, Brian