Waukesha City Board of Public Works on Oct. 9 approved contract change order No. 1 with Zenith Tech for the Sunset Drive and Oakdale Drive traffic-signal improvement project, a staff member said. The change order totals $75,986.89; about $63,139 will be charged to utility company We Energies and the remaining roughly $12,800 covers manhole repairs for the city.

The change order adds items not included in the original bid, the staff member said, including replacement of a sanitary manhole chimney frame cover and rehabilitation work that involved lining a manhole. Several pavement-related items were added because We Energies had to disturb pavement while relocating their facilities; those pavement repairs are being invoiced to We Energies.

“The total change order again is 75,986.89,” the Public Works staff member said. When asked about the project budget, Kevin Riley asked whether the changes threatened the budget; the staff member replied, “Yeah. Correct. We're still gonna be under budget overall on the project.”

Board member Payne moved to approve the change order; Kevin Riley seconded. The board took a voice vote and the motion carried.

During the meeting staff also presented the proof-of-payments list for the period, noting 11 payments that reflect work including the recently approved change order. “That's because, the change order you approved is also falls into that number 11 payment for $77,000 to ZenithTech,” the staff member said. Cassens moved to approve the payments as presented; Kevin Riley seconded. The board voted and approved the payments as listed.

Members and staff also discussed remaining punch-list work from the 2024 resurfacing contract, including spot concrete and ramp repairs at the intersection of Hine and Madison. The staff member said the contractor remains responsible for punch-list corrections and that those corrections are not expected to cost the city because they are being performed at the contractor's expense.

What happened: The board approved a change order and the related batch of payments. What it means: the majority of the added cost for pavement repairs on this project will be reimbursed by We Energies; city-funded work on the project is limited primarily to the manhole work described by staff.

Looking ahead: The change order and payments authorized on Oct. 9 complete the board-level approval for these contract adjustments; staff did not present additional amendments or future agenda motions for this item at the meeting.