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Committee debates utility relocation delays, SCADA cellular issues and Alderson roundabout; recommendation fails at committee
Summary
The Village of Weston Public Works & Utility Committee spent substantial time on construction delays caused by private utilities, an unresolved SCADA cellular deployment with AT&T/FirstNet, and a divided vote on a proposed Alderson Street roundabout design.
VILLAGE OF WESTON, Wis. — At its Oct. 14 meeting the Village of Weston Public Works & Utility Committee spent significant time on recurring construction delays tied to private‑utility relocations, the delayed rollout of the new SCADA system’s lift‑station cellular connectivity, and a split recommendation on a proposed roundabout at Alderson Street and Jelenik Avenue.
Why it matters: private utility facilities in the right of way, long lead times for key equipment and cellular provisioning issues are extending schedules, increasing administrative overhead for contractors and staff, and prompting committee requests for clearer contract remedies and earlier notification when private parties fail to relocate facilities.
Discussion highlights:
Utility relocations and contractor delays — Staff reported several projects (Weston Ave, East Jelnick/Von Kennel and others) have seen schedule slips because private utilities did not relocate facilities inside the public right of way as planned. Contractors have sometimes dug around utilities and brought in additional subcontract crews; in some cases staff said the work required a time extension but no extra money. Committee members asked staff to consult the village attorney about contract language and remedies to reduce future delays and costs when private utilities do not timely relocate facilities.
SCADA and cellular connectivity — Staff said the village’s new SCADA implementation is functionally complete for the water side but remains incomplete for a subset of remote lift stations that rely on cellular service. The delay stems from a provisioning error and account type: AT&T initially set up the project on a business account rather than FirstNet (the prioritized public‑safety network), requiring reissuance of SIM cards and network reconfiguration. Staff said they expect a vendor/AT&T call later in the month and that full lift‑station telemetry could be online after that work is completed.
Community impacts and work hours — Staff and committee members noted residents’ frustration at prolonged construction in neighborhoods (noise, dust, early start times). The committee reiterated that the Village construction noise ordinance allows work starting at 6 a.m., and asked staff to continue emphasizing permitting and schedule adherence with contractors.
Alderson roundabout vote — Committee members debated a roundabout design for Alderson Street and Jelenik Avenue. Engineers recommended a compact roundabout; several committee members expressed concerns about school‑traffic peak flows, bus movements and the intersection’s heavy directional surges. The committee did not reach a majority recommendation to forward the roundabout design contract (MSA, $28,800) to the Village Board; the recommendation failed in committee. Staff will include the full discussion and committee vote tally in the Village Board packet.
Ending: Staff will follow up with the village attorney about contract language addressing private-utility relocations, continue coordination with AT&T/FirstNet and vendors to finish SCADA connectivity for lift stations, and return schedule updates to the committee at future meetings.
