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Council declares Milwaukee Avenue West storm sewer emergency and awards $166,774 repair contract
Summary
The council approved an emergency repair resolution under state statute 62.151(b) and awarded the Milwaukee Avenue West storm sewer repair contract to Forest Landscaping Construction at a cost not to exceed $166,774, to be paid from the stormwater utility fund.
The Fort Atkinson City Council on Oct. 7 declared an emergency to allow immediate repair of a failing storm sewer on Milwaukee Avenue West and later awarded the construction contract to Forest Landscaping Construction with a cost not to exceed $166,774.
City staff reported that sections of the underground storm structure have begun to fail and that further freeze-thaw cycles could cause structural collapse, possible street flooding and debris entering the Rock River. Staff recommended bypassing competitive bidding under state statute 62.151(b) because the structure’s condition endangers public health, safety or welfare without timely repairs.
The emergency-resolution vote authorized staff to proceed without the normal competitive-bidding timeline so repairs could occur prior to winter. Staff said the stormwater utility fund will pay for the work and that projections for the fund’s year-end balance remained positive even with the project expense.
Staff solicited bids and received two proposals. Forest Landscaping Construction submitted a bid of $166,774; Wanasek Corporation submitted $497,430. The engineer’s estimate was $154,226.50. Staff recommended awarding the contract to Forest Landscaping Construction as the responsive, lower-cost bidder that has performed prior work for the city.
City staff described the failing structure as atypically large, with a cavernous void shown in photographs attached to the meeting packet, and estimated the primary section requiring repair at roughly 100–150 feet. Staff said the contractor would be expected to begin work within about a week of council approval and to complete the project by the first week of December.
Council members asked procedural questions about competitive-bid timelines and the bid differences; staff explained the solicitation timeline and that the bid tabulation fell within the emergency procurement framework. The resolution and the later contract award were both approved by voice vote.
Funding for the repair will come from the stormwater utility fund for 2025; staff told the council they do not anticipate a deleterious effect on the fund’s projected balance for the year.
The council’s action allows the city to proceed immediately with design and construction to stabilize the failing storm sewer and protect downstream drainage to the Rock River.
