MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Atlas Mill, Suite 150
CALL TO ORDER BY CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 58
OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE:
Tom Sutter, Mark Moderson, Gwen Sargeant, Linda Muldoon, Brian Schneider, David Buss, Laura Leimer, Karen Probst, Christine Williams, Jim Krueger, and James Richter
REVIEW OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
March 2 – History Fair, Appleton City Center, Winter Farm Market, 9:00 - 12:30.
March 20 – Matt Astleford, St. Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, The History of St. Elizabeth Hospital.
April 17 – Tom and Janet Sutter will present “ Unique Homes of Appleton”
May 15 – Matt Jackering, “The History of Waverly Masonic Lodge #51”.
June 21 – Light Up the Fox River- Luminary Celebration and River Bike Ride, Co-Chaired by our own Gwen Sargeant.
August 18- AHS Cemetery Walk at Riverside Cemetery.
Sept 18 - History of Presto Products
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
Officers and Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Laura Leimer
Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
B. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
C. David Buss, Research Specialist
D. Gwen Sargeant, Public Relations and Web Page
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A. Thanks to Brian Schneider, Gwen Sargeant and Dave Buss for the great job presenting last month’s program on History and Origin of Appleton Street names. Attendance was great and audience involvement exceptional.
B. Thanks again to Randy Stadtmueller for the use of Suite 150 in the historic Atlas Paper Mill Complex for tonight’s meeting.
C. Special thanks for a donation of additional folding chairs received for our meeting facility. We now have a total of 80 chairs for our meetings and events.
D. Just a reminder that previous meeting presentations can be found on YouTube.
E. Door Prize – a $10.00 Gift Certificate with a purchase from Spats won by Lori Krueger, a visitor for the evening.
F. Final reminder to renew your annual membership if you have not yet done so.
G. HISTORIC EVENTS COMING UP IN THE AREA:
1. Watch for a number of events coming this year to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of the Appleton YMCA.
AHS History Fair – Saturday, March 2, 2013:
Jim Richter, Co-Chairman, reported on planning for our 6th History Fair that will be held as part of the Appleton Downtown Winter Farm Market at the City Center on Saturday, March 2, 2013. We have commitments from 17 Exhibitors for the March event. Our Theme for this Fair will be historic printed media, and will include Maps, City Directories, Plat Books, Books on Historic Appletonians and companies, etc.
AHS Public Open House – Sunday, April 28, 2013:
President Sutter reported on an issue brought before the February 13th Board Meeting by Mark Moderson and Jim Richter. The two had discussed their disappointment in being unable to complete the AHS City Hall Exhibit as planned for the fall of 2012. Moderson proposed and Richter endorsed displaying the City Hall Exhibits at our Atlas Mill Suite 150 as part of a highly advertised Public Open House. The Board recommended pursuing.
Sutter consulted our Building Owner and received authorization to do the exhibit. Sutter asked for and received a consensus from the general membership during today’s meeting.
Sunday, April 28, 2013, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. was selected to hold the Open House. Admission will be free. We also agreed to serve coffee, juice and water, and ask members to make cookies or bars that can be served. It was further recognized that several of the display items are now the property of AHS and can be permanently displayed at Suite 150 – as long as we have use of the facilities.
AHS Cemetery Walk – Sunday, August 18, 2013:
President Sutter also reported on the Board’s approval for another Cemetery Walk. The event will be held on Sunday, August 18, 2013, at Riverside Cemetery. Gwen Sargeant will again be serving as Chairman. More information forthcoming.
PROGRAM- Chris Shaw, City of Appleton Director of Utilities, “The History of the Appleton Water Department”
Shaw’s Background and Education
A. Graduated with an Associates Degree in Water and Science from Moraine Park Technical Institute in 1991.
B. Has been with Appleton Water Utilities since graduation, serving in several different roles with both the Wastewater Plant and the Water Treatment Plant.
C. Was appointed Director of Water Utilities in 2010.
History of Appleton’s Public Water Utility:
A. Surprisingly a lot of technology in use today at Appleton’s Utility was in use 100 years ago.
B. 1883-1887 Appleton had 2000 residents, 2 artesian wells, 7 miles of water mains. The Wiley Construction Co. built and maintained the system. Many complaints on poor water pressure.
C. In 1887 a third artesian well was added. Began to also use water from the Fox River. The Wiley Contract was cancelled.
D. In 1889 a total of $60,000 was spent on improvements including the construction of a reservoir.
E. 1893-1901 Wiley continued to manage the Appleton Water Works Company. River water was now mostly used. Water pressure continued to be poor, making fire protection inadequate.
F. 1901-1910 citizens became very vocal about poor water quality and poor pressure. At this time water was just filtered and not treated. Finally, the citizens voted for a municipally owned water system.
G. 1910 the City of Appleton purchased the Appleton Water Works Company assets.
H. 1914-1934 the City had some 25,000 residents and 76 miles of Water Main. Water mains were hand dug at this time, and water pipes and joints were sealed with hot lead.
I. 1934 the City built the Water Street Filtration Plant.
J. 1950 the Filtration Plant was upgraded.
K. WATER SITES CONSTRUCTED OR ACQUIRED:
1. 1921 Walnut Street Tower was constructed.
2. 1952 North Oneida Street Tower was constructed.
3. 1964 Lindbergh Street Standpipe put into use.
4. 1970’s Lake Winnebago Raw Water Pump Station.
5. 1977 Ridgeway Tower was constructed.
6. 1988 Matthias Tower was constructed.
7. 2003 North Tower and Reservoir was constructed.
L. MISCELLANEOUS FACTS ABOUT APPLETON WATER:
1. Water pressure can be created in one of two ways: by pumping or by a siphoning effect
from above ground storage.
2. Appleton has a 2,000,000 gallon underground reservoir at the corner of Walnut Street
and Prospect Avenue.
M. WATER METER FACTS:
1. Appleton’s original meters were visually read by Water Department staff.
2. Currently a Water Department truck drives down a street and all meters along the street are read from inside the truck.
3. In the near future there will be an antenna placed on top of each water tower and meters from surrounding customers will be read by the antenna
N. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT:
1. Put into service in 2001.
2 New plant has:
a. A softener gallery.
b. Treatment basins that are chemically balanced.
c. Currently have a KMS ultra-filtration system, that uses water pressured through tube filters
3 This plant not only supplies Appleton, but also Grand Chute, Sherwood, and Town of
Menasha.
O. WATER TREATMENT PLANT OF THE FUTURE:
1. A whole new treatment system is now being designed, and will include reactors as
part of the equipment.
Shaw Concluded His Presentation by Answering a Wide Variety of Questions from the Audience:
Respectfully, James L. Richter AHS Secretary, 2/28/13