West Bend council approves major street reconstruction contracts, authorizes up to $4.325 million in notes and OKs tax-case settlements

The Common Council of the City of West Bend on March 17 approved multiple measures including two street-reconstruction contracts, an easement agreement for a private fence, a resolution authorizing the sale of up to $4,325,000 in general-obligation promissory notes for 2025 capital projects, and settlement agreements in Walgreens tax-assessment cases that the council voted to refund.

The actions—carried by voice votes for most items and by roll call for the tax settlements—advance work on Kilbourne and Third avenues and Edgewood Lane, provide local funding and county reimbursement for lead-lateral replacements on the reconstruction projects, and set parameters for a competitive bond sale the city expects to hold April 16.

The council’s approvals came after presentations from city staff and the city’s municipal finance advisor. Max (Public Works/Engineering) described the street projects and recommended awarding both construction contracts to Dorner based on low bids and prior work for the city. John Cameron of Ehlers, the city’s financial advisor, walked the council through a presale report for the promissory notes.

Kilbourne and Third avenues contract: scope, cost and funding Max told the council the Kilbourne Avenue contract (Kilbourne from Main Street to Indiana Avenue) and the reconstruction of Third Avenue (Sycamore Street to Kilbourne Avenue) will upgrade underground utilities, sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, replace curb and gutter and sidewalk, repair features, install asphalt and restore disturbed areas. He said the contract includes replacement of public and private lead water laterals under an agreement with Washington County so the county will reimburse the city for the private-lateral work.

Bids for Contract 2501 produced a low bidder, Dorner, at $4,527,980.22. The city recommended awarding the contract to Dorner and set a contingency allocation of about 5.68 percent for a total construction allocation not to exceed $4,785,000. Max summarized the funding sources as previously budgeted capital funds in the engineering fund and the sewer and water utilities, a city RP (reserve) funding allocation, and a Wisconsin Department of Transportation Local Road Improvement Program reimbursement for the Kilbourne portion.

Edgewood Lane contract: scope, cost and schedule The council also approved Contract 2800 for reconstruction of Edgewood Lane between Wisconsin and Indiana. Max said this project will likewise improve underground utilities, replace the entire sidewalk along the project and install new asphalt pavement and site restoration. The project includes lateral replacement under the same county reimbursement arrangement.

The low bid for the Edgewood contract was also Dorner, listed in the packet as $1,480,961.55; the council approved an allocation including a contingency of about 5.67 percent for a total not to exceed $1,565,000. Max told the council he had met with the contractor about sequencing because Dorner was the low bidder on multiple nearby projects. Dorner plans to begin on Kilbourne/Third in early April with multiple crews, shift underground crews to Edgewood in mid-July, and complete both projects by October.

Easement agreement for 527 Hargrove Street The council approved an agreement allowing a property owner at 527 Hargrove Street to install a privacy fence that would cross a sanitary sewer easement. Max said staff reviewed the fence specifications and adapted an agreement framework the city has used previously for storm-sewer easements; the agreement spells out owner responsibilities, city rights to remove the fence for maintenance, and requirements to avoid damage to utilities. Max said this is the first time the department has used that form for a sanitary sewer easement, although fences have been allowed in some storm-sewer easements where removal for maintenance is feasible.

Finance: up to $4.325 million general-obligation notes, series 2025A John Cameron of Ehlers presented a presale report and the parameters resolution authorizing the sale of general-obligation promissory notes not to exceed $4,325,000 (Series 2025A) to finance 2025 capital improvement projects. "The purpose of which is to finance your 2025 capital improvement projects," Cameron said.

Cameron said the issuance will use the city's general-obligation borrowing capacity, and that debt service for Indiana Avenue project costs contained in Tax Increment District (TID) 16 will be paid from TID 16 revenues. The city expects a 10-year structure with principal payments beginning in April 2027 and interest paid semiannually starting in April 2026. The presale materials estimate a true interest cost (TIC) near 3.57 percent; the parameters resolution sets a maximum TIC of 5 percent to allow flexibility. The proposed competitive sale date is Wednesday, April 16, with an estimated closing on or about May 7.

Walgreens tax-assessment settlements and refunds After a closed session on tax-assessment matters, the council reconvened and approved settlement agreements for Walgreens tax cases related to properties at 1720 West Washington and 1921 South Main Street and approved refunds based on those settlements. The motion was moved and seconded, then carried on roll call with the aldermen present voting aye.

Other approvals The council and its committees also approved a number of routine items on consent or by voice vote: approval of meeting minutes across bodies; a licensing-board amusement-device license application; Board of Public Works permission to bid for parking stalls at the Lady of Brede (packet item); the appropriation of proceeds from the Parks, Recreation and Forestry department’s sale of a surplus pickup to offset the purchase of a new lawnmower (Resolution 79); and consent-agenda items 6–12 as listed on the meeting agenda.

Votes at a glance - Licensing Board: Approval of minutes (Feb. 17) — approved (voice vote). Amusement device license application — approved (voice vote). - Board of Public Works: Minutes (03/03/2025) — approved (voice vote). Permission to bid — Lady-of-Breid/Garden parking stalls — approved (voice vote). Contract 2501 (Kilbourne & Third) — awarded to Dorner, low bid $4,527,980.22; allocation with contingency not to exceed $4,785,000 — approved (voice vote). Contract 2800 (Edgewood Lane) — awarded to Dorner, low bid listed as $1,480,961.55; allocation with contingency not to exceed $1,565,000 — approved (voice vote). Agreement for improvements in existing easement at 527 Hargrove Street (fence) — approved (voice vote). - Finance Committee: Minutes (03/03/2025) — approved (voice vote). Resolution 79 (use sale proceeds from surplus pickup to offset lawnmower purchase) — approved (voice vote). Resolution 80 (authorize issuance and parameters for up to $4,325,000 general-obligation promissory notes, Series 2025A) — approved (voice vote). - Common Council: Minutes (03/03/2025) — approved (voice vote). Motion to approve settlement agreements in Walgreens tax cases and authorize refunds (properties at 1720 W. Washington and 1921 S. Main) — approved by roll call vote (ayes recorded).

What council members and staff said Max (Public Works/Engineering) summarized scope and funding for the reconstruction contracts and the county agreement for lateral replacements, and said staff had met with the contractor on sequencing: "We have a preconstruction meeting next week ... he wants to start on the work early April. He will start with Kilborn and Third ... once the underground crews are done with the first project, they will move to Edgewood, July, second week of July," Max said.

John Cameron (Ehlers) described the debt-issuance timetable and terms and explained that tax-increment revenues will cover the Indiana Avenue project portion: "The purpose of which is to finance your 2025 capital improvement projects," he said.

Context and next steps Work under the awarded contracts is scheduled to begin with Kilbourne/Third in early April, continue with Edgewood work mid-summer, and complete by October, according to staff. The city will proceed with the promissory-note presale tasks, rating call and a competitive sale targeted for April 16. The tax-settlement refunds approved by the council will be processed as provided in the settlement agreements.

Correction and clarity notes - The meeting record contained inconsistent spellings for some council members and contractors across agenda items. The article uses spellings as they appeared in council presentations and staff identifications (for example, Max, John Cameron of Ehlers, and the contractor name Dorner as used by staff). Where the transcript provided an obviously garbled numeric fragment (for example a split cents figure reported as "$1,480,961 and $55.56"), the packet-listed bid value is reported here as $1,480,961.55 to reflect the standard consolidated monetary figure in the meeting packet and staff presentation.

The council did not take action on pending ceremonial items during this report; those awards and recognitions were presented but are outside the scope of this votes-focused summary.