Public Works Committee Meeting

Public Works Committee Meeting Cravath Lakefront Room, 2nd floor 312 W. Whitewater St. Whitewater, WI 53190 *In Person and Virtual Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - 5:00 PM AGENDA CALL TO ORDER The Public Works Committee meeting was called to order by Board President Hicks at 5:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Present: Board Member Majkrzak Board Member Smith Board Member Hicks APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak, Seconded by Council Board Member Smith to approve the agenda for Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of minutes from January 14, 2025 Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak, Seconded by Council Board Member Smith to approve the minutes from January 14, 2025. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS None NEW BUSINESS 2. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the award of Contract 8-2024, Well No 7 Modifications and Starin Park Reservoir Demolition. Marquardt stated with the new Southwest Water Tower in operation, the 125+ year old ground reservoir can be taken out of service. This project will demolish and remove the reservoir. The project will also reroute piping and update electrical components so Well No 7 pumps directly into the distribution system. Booster pumps, which no longer will be needed, will be removed. Strand Associates prepared bidding documents with the project advertised on January 9, and January 16, 2025. Three bids were received and opened on February 5, 2025. Mid City Corporation $1,068,000.00 RR Walton $1,449,250.00 Veit & Company $1,490,000.00 Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 2 The Task Order for the design was approved in June 2024. The Project was also approved as part of the 2024-2025 CIP budget, and 2025 updated CIP budget. $1,275,000 was budgeted for this project. The low bid by Mid City Corporation, Butler, WI is within the budget. Prequalification statements were received, and approved for all three bidders. Staff recommended a motion to approve Contract 8-2024, Well No. 7 Modifications and Starin Park Reservoir Demolition to the low bid from Mid City Corporation and forward to Council. Motion made by Board Member Hicks to award Contract 8-2024, Well No 7 Modifications and Starin Park Reservoir Demolition to Mid City Corporation, Seconded by Board Member Majkrzak. Voting Yea: Board Member Hicks, Board Member Smith, Board Member Majkrzak Voting Nay: None 3. Discussion and Possible Action regarding Strand Task Order 25-01, Construction related services for Well No 7 Modifications and Starin Park Reservoir Demolition. Marquardt stated the City is scheduled to remove the ground reservoir from service and demolish it in 2025. As part of this work, Well No 7 has to have piping and electrical changes in order to pump directly into the distribution system instead of into the reservoir. Strand’s Task Order will provide construction related services including: The Public Works Committee and Common Council approved the design of the project in June 2024. The project was approved as part of the 2024-2025 CIP budget and is included in the updated 2025 CIP budget. The estimated cost to provide the stated construction related services, based on an hourly rate plus expenses, is $75,000. The low bid for construction was $1,068,000. $1,275,000 was budgeted in the CIP for this project. Staff recommended a motion to approve Strand Task Order 25-01 for construction related services regarding Well No 7 modifications and the Starin Park reservoir demolition and forward to Council. Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak to approve Strand Task Order 25-01, Construction related services for Well No 7 Modifications and Starin Park Reservoir Demolition, Seconded by Hicks. Voting Yea: Board Member Smith, Board Member Majkrzak, Board Member Hicks Voting Nay: None 4. Discussion and Possible Action regarding a lease agreement with BTS Towers for an AT&T communication tower placed on Lot 2T off of Greenway Court. City staff has been working with a consultant for BTS Towers to help find a location for BTS Towers to install a telecommunication tower for AT&T. They were originally looking at Lot 10B off of East Main Court, in the Business Park. However, with the potential sale of that property, staff did not want to enter into an agreement to muddy the sale of said property. Looking at other possibilities, the northwest corner of Lot 2T off of Greenway Court in the Business Park seems to be a good fit. The 100’ X 100’ easement area would be located in an area most likely not to be developed. Access could come from Howard Road along the north property line, which also should not interfere with development of the property. Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 3 The one caveat is that Lot 2T is zoned as Technology Park. Current City regulations do not allow telecommunication facilities in the Technology Park zoning. However, this is contrary to state statute 66.0404, which allows for telecommunication facilities in all types of zoning districts. The City’s zoning code would need to be updated to allow telecommunication facilities as a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) in the Technology Park zoning. Attached is the Option and Lease Agreement which has been reviewed by staff and the City Attorney with edits highlighted. At the November 2024 Public Works meeting, the Public Works Committee did approve the site location on Lot 10B off of East Main Court. BTS Towers would pay $2,000 for an Option Period of 2 years. If the Option is executed, rent in the amount $800 per month ($9,600/year) would be made for the initial Term (Term being 5 years). The rent payment would escalate at 15% respectively for the next 9 Terms. Hicks would like to see the rent at a minimum of $1,000/month and a surety bond of $10,000. It will cost the City money to clear the land if BTS doesn't exist in the future. Majkrzak stated it sounds like the City would have to allow this tower based on State Statue. Majkrzak refenced the Option and Lease Agreement: 1. Option to Lease. (d) During the Option Period or the Term, Landlord shall not take any action to change the zoning status or land use of the Property which would diminish, impair, or adversely affect the use of the Premises by Tenant for its permitted uses hereunder. Tenant does acknowledge Landlord has the Property listed for sale and is actively marketing the Property. Should the Property be sold, this agreement is subject to termination or assignment upon sale at Landlord’s discretion. Majkrzak commented the City has had this technology board zoning area for quite a while. It's been slow and they want it better. He wonders if that would limit the City. Marquardt stated his interpretation is once they have the CUP they would be grandfathered into a different zoning change, if the zoning would change. It won't be changed to residential just because of where it's at. Marquardt stated he would speak with Municipal Code Enforcement about this topic. Staff recommended a motion to approve the Option and Lease Agreement with BTS Towers and forward to Council, contingent upon the following:  The Plan & Architectural Review Commission changes the zoning code to allow a CUP for telecommunication facilities in the Technology Park zoning district  The Plan & Architectural Review Commission approves such CUP for BTS Towers Motion made by Board Member Hicks to approve the lease agreement with BTS Towers for an AT&T communication tower placed on Lot 2T off Greenway Court with the change of rent starting at $1,000 for the first term, per month, and a surety bond of at $10,000 for removal, Seconded by Board Member Smith. Voting Yea: Board Member Majkrzak, Board Member Hicks, Board Member Smith Voting Nay: None Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 4 5. Discussion and Possible Action regarding Strand Task Order 25-03, Wastewater Treatment Plant Capacity Study. Marquardt stated staff routinely receives information requests from potential developments asking for capacity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). Most recently, staff has had face to face discussions with a potential developer whose productions would cause additional “industrial” loadings to the system. The WWTP can handle the volume of the wastewater, but the effects of the additional “industrial” loadings is what needs to be evaluated. The additional “industrial” loadings could impact our DNR Permit limits for the amount of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) loadings the plant receives. The estimated cost to provide the study, based on an hourly rate plus expenses, is $15,000. This study was not specifically budgeted for in 2025. Funds in 620-62820-219, Professional Services, would be used for this study. While this study is specific to this potential developer in its “industrial” loadings, it will give staff a better understanding of our available capacity for other similar developments in the future if this development does not happen. Staff recommends a motion to approve Strand Task Order 25-03 for the WWTP Capacity Study and forward to Council. The Study will review:  The WWTP’s current capacity  The potential impacts on the current WWTP processes and draft an agreement between WWTP and a potential developer related to sewer discharges  Compare potential revenue against additional operating expenses  Review WWTP modifications that would provide additional capacity Hicks asked if this would be an all-encompassing general study to use in the future. Marquardt stated, yes. Majkrzak asked who the biggest offenders are with BOD within the City. Are we measuring BOD from our current industrial customers? This will eventually affect the tax base. Should the customers contributing to the BOD have a helping hand in paying those additional costs? Marquardt stated in our ordinance there are sewer use charges. Those customers with a higher load do pay extra. Majkrzak asked if the ordinance should be looked at again. Marquardt said it was probably not appropriate to include in this, but we should be able to get a list of this industrial industries who are being charged extra. Marquardt will have Wastewater Superintendent take a look at those industries. Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak to approve Strand Task Order 25-03, Wastewater Treatment Plant Capacity Study, Seconded by Board Member Hicks. Voting Yea: Board Member Hicks, Board Member Smith, Board Member Majkrzak Yoting Nay: None 6. Discussion and Possible Action regarding Strand Task Order 25-04, Wastewater Treatment Plant Return Activated Sludge Pump Addition. Marquardt stated the three existing Return Activated Sludge (RAS) pumps are experiencing high temperatures and an inadequate return rate of the activated sludge back to the aeration basin. After investigating this issue, the recommendation was to install a fourth RAS pump to help with the process. Strand’s Task Order will:  Prepare hydraulic calculations for the addition of the fourth pump Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 5  Develop plan sheets for the installation of the fourth pump  Develop a plan for incorporating the fourth pump in to the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system  Prepare bidding documents, specifications, and opinion of construction cost  The design of the 4th RAS pump addition was included in the 2024-2025 CIP budget and the updated 2025 CIP budget The estimated cost to complete the design for the fourth RAS pump based an hourly rate basis plus expenses is $36,000. $55,000 was budgeted in the CIP. Staff recommended a motion to approve Strand Task Order 25-04, WWTP Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Pump Addition, with the compensation changed from lump sum to an hourly rate basis plus expenses. Majkrzak would like an update on the pump efficiencies at the next meeting. Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak to approve Strand Task Order 25-04, Wastewater Treatment Plant Return Activated Sludge (RAS) Pump Addition, Seconded by Hicks. Voting Yea: Board Member Smith, Board Member Majkrzak, Board Member Hicks Voting Nay: None 7. Discussion and Possible Action regarding pedestrian safety crossing W. Main Street. Marquardt stated this item was requested at a previous Public Works Committee meeting to be placed on a future agenda for discussion. Hick's stated he asked about getting a cost of moving the flashing light crossing set up (at Mulberry Glen) to the west between Walmart and the Aldi parking lot. Marquardt stated he was going to see what kind of comments he received and review in May/June. At this point, he has not received any comments. Hick's thinks now it might be best where it's at. Marquardt stated if you start moving the crossing light further to the west, you start incorporating additional driveways and more conflicts with turning movements. Hick's does have a concern with the intersections at Tratt and Prince. However, it may depend on what happens with the referendum in April. If the referendum passes and the WUSD and the City can work out the additional SRO, that would help with a crossing guard at Main Street. That would help parents who do not want to send their kids to cross Main Street by themselves. If it doesn't pass, he doesn't know what the next step would be to make Main Street safer for kids to cross. Smith was looking for a brainstorming session because the subject has been brought up a lot. Can there be something done proactively on the City’s part? There have been concerns about Starin Road with professors having offices facing Main Street. They hear semi brakes because people are trying to cross the road. At this point, Smith wondered what the next steps should be. Just talking about it, is a good start. Marquardt stated he would need more information regarding the semi brakes, since there is only one other street that doesn't have some sort of signal. That means people are crossing at an intersection where they should not be crossing. Majkrzak stated he struggles with this topic. There isn't one solution that is going to fix all of it. In previous discussions about this, it was mentioned to increase the enforcement regarding Jay walking. He has seen in other communities the up and over. He doesn't think that's the magic bulllet either. They are incredibly expensive and it forces people to cross at place they may or may not cross Public Works Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025 Page 6 at. More stoplights are not the answer either. Marquardt commented on the Jay walking and that it has to be consistent. If you are going to do it in one area, it must be done everywhere. Marjkrzak asked if changing the speed limit to 15 mph would help. Marquardt stated that becomes an enforcement issue then. Hicks would be in favor of trying this for a couple of weeks. Marquardt doesn't think by lowering the limit to 15 that drivers would follow it based on what type of street it is. A four-lane road is designed to move traffic. Hicks stated there are four sets of traffic lights between Tratt Street and Prairie Street. If this continues to be a problem, could Strand do a study to see how to adjust the lights to more red lights or longer red lights; therefore, slowing down traffic on Main Street. Marquardt stated when it's the busiest times, you could be stopped on red at every light because of the traffic coming up on the side streets. Committee members would be interested in bringing this discussion back in May or June. Marquardt stated he will bring it back in May 2025. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 8. Adding turns on southbound Prairie Street at W. Main Street – March 2025 There were no other future agenda items to be added at that time. ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak to adjourn the Public Works Meeting at 5:45 p.m., Seconded by Board Member Smith. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None Respectfully submitted, Alison Stoll Alison Stoll, Administrative Assistant Department of Public Works *Minutes approved on: March 11, 2025