Woinarowicz: ‘This is about people’
By Anna Jauhola
Kennedy City Clerk/ Treasurer Melissa Woinarowicz didn’t waste any time in drilling home the seriousness of the city’s water problem last week to state representatives.
Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria), the co-chair of the Capital Investments Committee, visited Kennedy on Wednesday, Oct. 1 along with Rep. John Burkel (R-Badger). The city’s request for funding had been in the bonding bill this last legislative session, but was not granted.
Since 2017, the city of Kennedy has been without a water tower and its underground tanks need work. So, the city has been hooked up to rural water from Lake Bronson, which doesn’t provide enough pressure for the fire hydrants to properly work.
Since 2019, the city has been working with USDA’s Rural Development to obtain funding to fix the problem. Woinarowicz said she’s been getting mixed messages from the agency, with one person saying the city will lose its funding if it doesn’t complete the project by fall 2026, and another person saying they’ll keep USDA Funding as long as they break ground before then.
“My question is, is there public safety money where this could possibly be funded because of the fire aspect?” Woinarowicz said.
She said when Kennedy firefighters explained to her the reality of responding to a fire in town, she was tearing up. They said by the time 911 is called, and the fire department responds, it’s really a matter of saving neighboring homes. If a fire is burning for that long, firefighters may not even be able to enter a house to save anyone inside. And if they can enter, they know they likely won’t come out.
“This isn’t about turning on the faucet and getting a glass of water,” Woinarowicz said. “It is truly the public safety part of it that is terrifying. I mean, we had somebody just how many years ago pass away in a fire in Kennedy.”
The reality is the fire department can’t hook up to the fire hydrants because using that water will collapse the lines, she added. The water they do keep on hand isn’t enough to fight a fire and save homes nearby. The nearest fire department is Hallock, and all departments can bring water, but still can’t hook up to the hydrants.
Franson asked how many people live in Kennedy and the median age. Woinarowicz said Kennedy’s current population is about 170 people living in 95 households.
Councilors Cindy Urbaniak and Jody Bowman represented the council at the meeting, and agreed the median age is about 60. They added most residents are also on a fixed income.
Woinarowicz showed Franson a map of the surrounding townships the Kennedy Fire Department also covers under contract. With four townships to cover, along with rising inflation and costs, fixing the water issue in Kennedy is seeming insurmountable.
Currently, with the USDA grant funding and loan in place, the city needs $743,000 to cover the rest. Urbaniak said the city has budgeted a certain amount to put in, but can’t cover it all.
Franson acknowledged that amount “in the bonding world, is like nothing. It’s like couch change.”
Woinarowicz emphasized the city has been working to trim its budget as lean as possible, including the fact her position is part time and she’s the certified water operator. She noted people from the community and councilors help with city issues when it’s necessary.
Franson said there wasn’t the capacity to grant the city’s request through the bonding bill this session. She encouraged the city to keep fighting and bring the request to the next session, whether it’s the special session or regular session.
KENNEDY CITY CLERK MELISSA WOINAROWICZ, far right, shows a map of townships the city covers for fire protection to Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) and Rep. John Burkel (R-Badger). Franson is co-chair of the capital investments committee and heard more about Kennedy’s water issues.
(Enterprise photo by Anna Jauhola)
