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, May 13, 2025 - 5:00 PM MINUTES CALL TO ORDER The Public Works Committee meeting was called to order by Public Works Director Marquardt at 5:00 p.m. ROLL CALL PRESENT: Board Member Smith, Board Member Majkrzak, Board Member Hicks ABSENT: None OTHERS: Marquardt CALL ELECTION OF CHAIRPERSON/VICE CHAIRPERSON Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak, seconded by M. Smith to nominate Board Member Hicks as Chairperson. There were no other nominations. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None Motion made by Board Member M. Smith, seconded by Board Member Hicks to nominate Board Member Majkrzak as Vice Chairperson. There were no other nominations. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None SET DAY AND TIME FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY MEETINGS The committee agreed on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:15 p.m. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak, seconded by Board Member M. Smith to approve the agenda for Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of minutes from April 8, 2025 Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak, seconded by M. Smith to approve the minutes from April 8, 2025. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None HEARING OF CITIZEN COMMENTS None NEW BUSINESS Public Works Committee Meeting Agenda May 13, 2025 Page 2 2. Discussion and Possible Action regarding proposed artwork on traffic signal control boxes. Marquardt stated this item came to the Public Works Committee in October of 2024. The committee was open to the idea, but wanted to make sure the designs were fitting for the community. The Public Arts Commission received 21 applications for the request to install public art on the eight traffic signal control boxes. The Public Arts Commission met on May 1, 2025 and recommended eight of the 21 applications with four alternates for approval to send to the Public Works Committee for review. After their review, they recommended eight with four alternatives for approval. Approvals: Alternates: Stephanie Krellwitz Hollyn Peterson Linda Saumer Hunter Little Studio 84 James Richter Jessica Fuchs Brittany McKenzie Judith Perez Emma Siskoff Kelly Marie Hausknecht Kiba Freeman $2,500 in a form of a grant from the Community Foundation has been attained. Any additional funding above this amount, if needed, is to be determined. Staff recommended a motion to approve the eight recommended paintings and the four alternates and forward to council. Motion made by Board Member M. Smith and seconded by Board Member Majkrzak to approve the eight and four alternate applicants regarding the proposed artwork on the traffic signal control boxes. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None 3. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the approval of a driveway over 24 feet for Lavelle Industries. Marquardt stated Lavelle Industries, 1215 Universal Blvd, is planning an expansion to their business. The expansion includes a driveway off Innovation Drive measuring 83 feet in width (96 feet at the curb line). The driveway accommodates semi-truck loading and unloading. According to Municipal Code 12.16.030, “no driveway shall exceed thirty-five feet in width at the curb line unless special permission be obtained from the City’s Common Council.” The Plan and Architectural Review Commission approved the site plan, including the driveway width, at their May 4, 2025, meeting. Staff recommended a motion to approve the driveway width in excess of 35 feet and forward to Council. Motion made by Majkrzak and seconded by M. Smith to approve the driveway over 24 feet for Lavelle Industries. Public Works Committee Meeting Agenda May 13, 2025 Page 3 Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None 4. Discussion and Possible Action regarding an update to the Street Department Facility Study. Marquardt stated in 2020, the City hired Kueny Architects to complete a Facility Analysis and Space Needs Assessment at the Public Works Street garage. The Analysis and Assessment included: 1. Determining the condition and deficiencies of the existing buildings and facilities. 2. Assessing the current facility to determine what space is adequate to handle current and future demands. 3. Identifying conceptual facility layouts. 4. Evaluating the facility regarding space demands and the sustainability of the existing structures. 5. Costs associated with conceptual layouts. A copy of the final report is attached. The preferred concept was the one shown on Page A201 (Page 35) of the final report. The report was provided to the City Council and accepted; however, the project was put on the back burner as the library expansion project took priority. With the library project being completed this year, staff would like to have the Facility Analysis and Space Needs Assessment report reviewed and updated by Kueny Architects to make sure everything is in line with 2025 standards and cost estimates. The Public Works Committee and City Council approved hiring Kueny Architects in February 2020 to complete the Analysis and Assessment Study. In November 2020, the Public Works Committee and City Council accepted the Final Report to use for CIP budgetary purposes. Kueny Architects estimates that it would cost an estimated $2,000 (16 hours at $125/hr) to update the report. This includes two site visits, updating the report, and then finalizing the report after staff comments. The estimated cost of the preferred concept was $9,300,000 - $9,800,000 in 2020. An updated cost estimate for 2024 was $12,200,000 - $13,600,000. M. Smith asked what the long-term plan was for funding this project. Marquardt stated, borrowing. Municipalities who have done a streets facility garage have not found grants to help with the cost of the project. Marquardt stated he will check again to see if grant funding has changed. Majkrzak stated he would like to see how this will impact borrowing. Marquardt stated he will talk with the Finance Director regarding this request for a possible presentation at budget/CIP time. Staff recommended a motion to approve having Kueny Architects update the Facility Analysis and Space Needs Assessment Final Report. Motion made by Majkrzak and seconded by M. Smith to approve a Facility Study Update for an estimated $2,000. Marquardt would like to share the report with the Public Works Committee and then Council. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Public Works Committee Meeting Agenda May 13, 2025 Page 4 Voting Nay: None 5. Discussion and Possible Action regarding a request from The Bower House for reserved parking stalls. Marquardt stated Tammy Aprehamien, the owner of the Bower House located at 183 W. Main Street, is requesting 12 parking stalls be reserved in Lot G for tenants of her building. Lot G, located on North Street between First and Second Streets, has a total of 25 residential permit spaces allocated and is typically the first lot sold out. Currently, parking permits are offered annually in May, on a first come basis, through the Police Department. Proof of downtown residency is required. Staff talked to the Police Department about the possibility of reserving parking stalls specifically for a landlord and agree that this would not be a good practice to start. Concerns include other landlords asking for reserved stalls and the possibility of the ask being more than the availability. How does one decide who gets what? Also, not all downtown renters have vehicles which could lead to landlords renting out apartments which include a parking stall that is then left unoccupied. While the City would still be getting paid (by the landlord), it could be forcing another renter to get a parking permit at a parking lot possibly further away. Landlords could also charge more than what the City is charging. Therefore, staff recommended to deny the request for reserved parking stalls and remain with the current procedure. A motion was made by Majkrzak and seconded by M. Smith to deny the request from the Bower House for reserved parking stalls. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None 6. Discussion and Possible Action regarding pedestrian safety on W. Main Street. Marquardt stated The Public Works Committee discussed pedestrian safety along W. Main Street regarding various topics at two previous meetings. The topics included pedestrians not crossing at marked crosswalks, interaction between pedestrians and vehicles at controlled intersections and the “mid-block” crossing near Walmart and Aldi. Minutes from both meetings are attached as background material. The Public Works Committee discussed pedestrian safety crossing W. Main Street at their February 11, 2025, meeting. The Committee asked for this item to come back in May or June. The Public Works Committee discussed pedestrians not crossing at designated crosswalks near the University and traffic concerns near Walmart and Aldi at their October 8, 2024, meeting. The Committee asked for the areas to be monitored and bring back at a future meeting. Staff has not received any additional requests to move the “mid-block” crosswalk from the Walmart area to the Aldi area or concerns with pedestrian traffic in this area. Staff recommended no action be taken and leaving the crosswalk in its current location. Staff had no other recommendations addressing the other topics. 7. Discussion and Possible Action regarding the maintenance of terrace retaining wall at 815 W. Highland Street. Public Works Committee Meeting Agenda May 13, 2025 Page 5 Marquardt stated there is a deteriorating rock retaining wall located in the terrace adjacent to 815 W. Highland Street and 203 S. Whiton Street. Property owners are required to maintain the terrace, such as cutting the grass. If this reasoning is applied to the retaining wall, the property owner(s) should be responsible for its maintenance and repair. However, there is no paperwork that previous property owners were given permission to erect the retaining, giving the assumption the city erected the retaining wall. Staff would like the Committee’s input on who should be responsible for the repair of the retaining wall. If the City is responsible, there would be a significant financial impact. Estimates would need to collected and the project should be included in the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan requests. The Public Works Committee agreed the City staff should take the necessary steps to correct the retaining wall the most cost-effective way. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS None ADJOURNMENT Motion made by Board Member Majkrzak and seconded by M. Smith to adjourn the Public Works Committee at 5:30 p.m. Voting Yea: all via voice (3) Voting Nay: None Respectfully submitted, Alison Stoll Alison Stoll, Administrative Assistant Department of Public Works *Minutes approved on July 9, 2025