Waukesha Acknowledges Contact With Walker On Water Diversion Application

I recently emailed Dan Duchniak, manager of the Waukesha Water Utility, and told him I had heard that the utility commission chairman had disclosed to the commission at the December, 2010 meeting that he had had a conversation with Governor-elect Scott Walker about the city's Lake Michigan diversion application, and that conversation was not mentioned in the meeting's minutes as approved and published.

The application has been stalled at its first step in a multi-state review - - the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - - since last spring.

The DNR had identified a long list of issues it wanted Waukesha to address.

Dan said he would look into it and sent me this response:

"I went back and listened to the tape of the meeting for the exchange.

"Commission President Warren was late to the meeting.  After the presentation that was being made when he arrived was completed, he stated the following, “I’m sorry I was late, I made myself late by having a unique opportunity to spend a little time with our governor elect.  

"So, I had that opportunity so I switched hats a couple of times during the conversation. 

"Obviously, he knows the linkage with Waukesha Water and our application.”  

"That was the extent of that conversation.  We usually do not include a commissioner’s explanation for being late to a meeting with the minutes.  We just note the time they arrived and/or left the meeting.

"I will plan bring this exchange up at our next commission meeting and ask them if they remember the discussion differently and whether or not the minutes should be amended.

"Let me know if you have any other questions."