Oshkosh council approves final special-assessment resolutions for multiple street projects; resident raises questions about lead-service funding and tree damage

The Oshkosh Common Council on May 27 approved final resolutions establishing special assessments for a series of street, water, sewer and sidewalk contracts covering neighborhoods across the city, and heard one public commenter who said she had been told grant money would cover private lead-service replacement and who reported $17,000 in home damage after a tree fell.

The council voted to adopt final resolutions for Contract 25-02, 25-04, 25-05, 25-07, 25-08, 25-09 and 25-12 (sanitary sewer mains and laterals, water mains and laterals, storm sewers, and related sidewalk and driveway work). Each resolution passed on final reading by roll call with the council recording unanimous affirmative votes from the six members present.

The action matters because the adopted resolutions set the maximum special-assessment amounts that may later be certified against affected properties; council members and staff emphasized that later changes to project scope can lower, but not increase, the maximum assessment without a further hearing.

At a public hearing on Resolution 25-252 (Contract 25-08, work including Central Street, Tennessee Avenue, West Custer Avenue, West Nevada Avenue and West Bent Avenue), Remington Taft said she had been told in February to “wait on pursuing changing anything in my home as far as lead pipes” because grant funding would cover replacement, but the assessment notice later arrived. Taft said she had been told by a city employee to “just wait it out,” and she asked whether grant money had been lost or miscommunicated. Taft also said a tree that remained during the project later fell on her house and that she had about $17,000 in damage.

A public works staff member replied that the city’s usual assistance for private-side lead-service replacement comes through the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program, which typically covers 50% of the private-side replacement cost and requires property-owner cost-sharing. The staff member said: “The grant funding that we... the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program — funding that we have for assisting property owners with replacing their private side lead services is 50% covered by the program, 50% covered by the property owner.” The staff member also told the public to start questions at the Public Works main office so staff could connect residents with Management Analyst Maria Fletcher or Utilities General Manager Steve Godey for follow-up.

Council members and staff clarified the division of responsibilities for public and private infrastructure: the city’s utility is responsible for the public-side water service from the main to the curb stop (first shutoff valve), while replacement of the private-side service from the curb stop to the structure is the property owner’s responsibility. Staff said that sewer and storm laterals from the property connection to the main are property-owner responsibilities and that these private-lateral costs explain much of the special-assessment figures.

Council members moved and seconded the resolutions following the public hearings. Roll calls recorded the following six members voting yes on each of the final resolutions: Council member Nichols; Council member Larson; Council member Spambauer; Council member Flom; Council member Bulow; and Council member Mugelauer.

Council members directed staff to continue communicating with affected residents and to provide follow-up on individual grant eligibility and tree-removal questions outside the meeting. The city’s public-works staff agreed to meet with the resident after the hearing to discuss the tree removal and assessment questions.

The assessments approved set maximum assessment amounts for later certification; council members noted the certifications can reflect later changes to scope or to exclude items (for example, sidewalks) if council so directs before final certification.