Suamico board approves bids to extend sewer, water and paving on East Deerfield using TID funds

The Village of Suamico Village Board voted 7-0 Monday to solicit bids for extending sewer and completing asphalt work on East Deerfield Avenue and for Deerfield Court, using TID 1 funds and with the option to scale scope after bids are received.

The action moves the project into the design and bidding phase; staff told the board contracts for work performed in 2026 must be signed this year to use TID funds. Director Schmitz, who presented the plan, said, "The contract for any work performed in 2026 needs to be signed this year, so it doesn't leave a whole lot of time for design, bidding, and awarding the project." The board instructed staff to bid parts a, b and c as presented and to return with results.

Board members and staff framed the decision around leveraging TID 1 (the village's tax incremental district) to make the industrial corridor developable. Schmitz described the project as four parts: the south end asphalt, the north end asphalt, a sewer extension where work had stopped in 2023, and Deerfield Court (the latter to be partially developer-funded). Estimated costs discussed included roughly $511,000 for the north-side asphalt and an overall TID fund-balance projection of about $2.2 million. Staff said the project estimates included a 10% contingency and that if bids exceed projections the village could either trim scope or cover overruns from the general fund; staff noted the village's debt stabilization reserve had more than $500,000 available.

Trustees debated whether to complete both sewer and paving now or to postpone the north-side asphalt and let future developers pay to extend sewer when demand materializes. Several trustees said completing sewer now would avoid future street disruption and make parcels north of the corridor more marketable. Trustee Eckert and others favored proceeding with the full package, while board members also emphasized the ability to cut scope if bids returned higher than estimates.

Staff also proposed outreach to businesses north of the planned extension to give property owners advance notice and to explore whether the board should allow an extended period to connect once sewer is available. Schmitz said the village code currently requires connection within six months of sewer availability, but the board discussed offering a longer window (one to two years) as a courtesy depending on owner feedback.

The motion to solicit bids for Parts A, B and C using TID funds was offered by President Van Razon and seconded by Trustee Romas; roll call was unanimous, 7-0. Staff indicated consultants may be retained to expedite design and bidding and that the board would review bid results before final award.

Board members characterized the project as a near-term step to stimulate economic development on roughly eight developable acres (site estimates discussed by staff), and flagged the possibility of trimming the north-side paving if needed based on returned bids. The board directed staff to proceed with bidding and return with cost results and business-owner feedback.