New Berlin council approves facility study, multiple road contracts and budget items; denies temporary easement request

The New Berlin Common Council on March 25 approved a series of budget amendments, contracts and vendor agreements and denied a temporary easement request for Stigler Nature Preserve, while also voting to proceed on a city-initiated noncompliance enforcement matter after a closed session.

Alderman Lefevre, speaking for the Parks, Buildings and Grounds committee, described a planned facilities needs study that will start with the public safety building and the library and expand to other municipal buildings. "We're just gonna start with the safety building and the library," Lefevre said, adding the study will identify actual defects and priorities and may include efficiency upgrades such as insulation. The council voted unanimously to amend the 2025 capital projects budget to fund the study.

Why it matters: the study will generate prioritized work and timing for maintenance and upgrades across city buildings, information the council said it needs to set budgets and plan capital work.

Most significant votes and approvals

- The council approved, by unanimous recommendation from the Parks, Buildings and Grounds committee, denial of a temporary easement request identified in the record as W I W I W K 002.200 for use of Stigler Nature Preserve. The committee recommendation was moved and seconded and passed without recorded opposition.

- A resolution to amend the 2024 capital projects budget to expand card access controls at city facilities (named in committee material as the recycling center, the historical museum and the New Braun[sic] Hills clubhouse) was recommended unanimously to the council and approved by the council. (The agenda text used the phrasing shown; the city clerk read that language.)

- The council approved an amendment to the 2025 capital projects budget to fund a facilities needs study to determine an improvement schedule; the council was told the study will initially focus on the safety building and the library and then expand to other properties.

Road and maintenance contracts

The council, on unanimous recommendation from the Board of Public Works, approved several contracts for 2025 street work:

- A two‑party agreement for the Springdale Road rehabilitation project (from County Highway D/Cleveland Avenue to State Highway 59/Cleveland Avenue) was recommended by the Board of Public Works and approved by the council; the motion included a standard review-as-to-form by the city attorney.

- The construction contract for the 2025 roadway rehabilitation project was awarded to Stark Pavement Corporation in the amount of $1,648,000. The council also approved awarding inspection services to Rupert Milkey Incorporated; the city clarified during the meeting that the inspection contract amount is $88,844. The council approved the award unanimously. The meeting record includes references to project accounts and an intergovernmental cost share with the Village of Waukesha; a total contract-plus-contingency figure was not fully specified in the meeting record.

- The council approved a construction contract to the lowest responsive bidder, Thunder Road LLC, for the 2025 roadway maintenance joint crack cleaning and sealing project in the amount of $135,397.33, and awarded inspection services (listed in the record as a $19,489 inspection contract). The motion passed unanimously.

Recreation and vendor agreements

On unanimous recommendation from the Recreation Commission, the council approved vendor agreements for programming: an agreement with Karen Bast to provide urban programming (recorded in the agenda as "urban pulling/programming"), a contract with Marsh Horowitz School of Yoga (agenda text) to provide yoga classes, and an agreement with IKI Incorporated (Craig Kaufman) to provide virtual music lessons. Each item was moved, seconded and approved without recorded opposition.

Malone Park funding and consent agenda

Council members removed one item from the consent agenda for separate consideration: Resolution 2025‑58, amending the 2025 capital projects budget to allocate funding for the Malone Park playground bathroom and a Malone Park West soccer field shelter. That motion passed on a roll call vote, 4–2 (Aldermen Lefevre and Maxey recorded as voting "no" in the city clerk's roll call; the record lists the other affirmative votes and the motion carried 4–2). The remainder of the consent agenda then passed unanimously.

Public safety/parking ordinance

Acting on the Safety Commission's unanimous recommendation, the council adopted Ordinance No. 2704, amending section 261‑4 of the Municipal Code to restrict parking on Library Lane from Wall Street to the south on the west side and between the crosswalks at Library Lane and Wall Street. The ordinance was moved, seconded and adopted unanimously.

Closed session and follow-up action

The council convened in closed session under section 19.85(1)(g) of the Wisconsin Statutes to confer with legal counsel regarding potential litigation concerning noncompliance at property identified in the record as 124.03 West Park Avenue, owned by Mary Fitzgerald. After returning to open session the council voted unanimously to "proceed with the matter as outlined by the city attorney," as moved on the floor.

Other actions and administrative items

The council approved minutes from the March 11, 2025 meeting; heard a City Clerk report about the spring election (April 1 polling hours and in‑person absentee voting), approved mayoral appointments as presented, and approved a City Clerk appointment naming Ty Foran as an alternate member of the Board of Canvassers to serve through Dec. 31, 2025. All of these motions passed as recorded during the meeting.

What council members emphasized

Council members and committee chairs repeatedly framed the facility needs study as a first step to identify actual defects and to prioritize work, and the Board of Public Works presentations focused on awarding contracts to the lowest responsive, responsible bidders and aligning inspection contracts. Council members asked for clarifications on inspection contract amounts during the public discussion of roadway contracts; staff clarified the inspection award amount for one contract.

Looking ahead

Staff and committees will proceed with the facilities needs study, contract administration for awarded road projects, and follow the city attorney's guidance on the property noncompliance matter. The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.