Ten speakers asked the City of Verona at a Monday, Dec. 14, meeting to pause its eastside sewer interceptor project along the Ice Age Trail.

The commenters, who spoke for about an hour, included people who live on Lincoln Street and Melody Circle and have watched the clearing of vegetation from their backyards over the past four weeks. They, along with other residents of Verona, voiced concerns about the amount of vegetation cleared, erosion and lack of communication from the city.

Because the project was not on the council’s agenda, Mayor Luke Diaz said, citing the state’s Open Meetings laws, he and alders could not address the concerns directly with speakers. The council and city staff suggested putting the project on the agenda for an upcoming council meeting.

The council’s next scheduled meeting is Jan. 11.

City administrator Aday Sayre said he would work with public works director Theran Jacobson to address some of the concerns by the end of the week. Diaz asked to make it a top priority.

Alders had asked specific questions about the engineer’s report, which listed the eastside sewer intercept project, but the city attorney reminded them the engineers report is for updates on projects, not discussion on possible actions.

The speakers asked the Common Council to pause the project while a more clear restoration plan is developed, including ways to replace noninvasive trees, how to improve conditions for better water quality and how to save rock outcroppings to preserve the kettle moraine.

The city plans to plant different types of native grasses, including a Savanna Woodland and Economy Prairie mix, Theran Jacobson, public works director and manager of the project, told the Press in an email on Dec. 14. He said the city would present an enhanced restoration plan in the near future, including the installation of trees and other vegetation to re-establish the tree habitat and details about the location, density and species.

Speakers said the restoration plan appears to be an afterthought.

A Facebook group titled “Verona Trail/Sewer Project” was formed in opposition to the project and has 67 members.

Construction for the project, to replace more than 16,500 feet of sewer lines, began the beginning of November. The project is in conjunction with a Dane County parks department project to restore approximately 4,900 feet of stream on the Badger Mill Creek, which requires removing 12 acres of invasive species and widening the river bank.