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Committee commits $30 million in highway reserves and authorizes phase‑1 design for new Marathon County highway facility
Summary
Marathon County Infrastructure Committee approved a $30 million commitment of highway reserve funds for a potential new highway facility and unanimously authorized phase‑1 schematic design services, including hiring a construction manager at risk; the approvals were forward recommendations to the full county board.
The Marathon County Infrastructure Committee unanimously voted Sept. 4 to recommend that the full county board commit $30,000,000 of highway reserve funds toward a potential new highway facility and to authorize expenditure of highway reserve funds for phase‑1 schematic design services.
Administrator Leonard told the committee that “committing funds” is an accounting action intended to organize the highway reserve and create a designated project funding pool; it is not an authorization to expend the funds immediately and committed amounts may be uncommitted later if needed.
County staff and finance arrived at the $30,000,000 figure after reviewing categories within the highway reserve, according to Leonard. The committee heard that committing the funds would preserve other reserve categories (working capital, equipment) while creating a clear funding pool to draw from as the project proceeds.
The committee also unanimously approved a resolution authorizing expenditure of highway reserve funds to pay for phase‑1 schematic design services. Troy Torgerson, the county’s lead project planner for facilities, told the committee the schematic design RFP was awarded to a firm whose schematic design fee is $29,500. Staff said schematic design work would include soil borings, asbestos testing of on‑site structures if needed, and would support a later RFP for a construction manager at risk (CMAR) to provide early cost estimating and minimize change orders.
Staff described the schematic/design phase as the first iterative step in a multi‑phase process that would produce site plan approval, more refined cost estimates, construction documents, and eventually a guaranteed maximum price for the project if the county elects to proceed. Members noted the schematic fee was modest compared with other proposals, some of which bid mid‑ to high‑six‑figure approaches for later phases.
Supervisor Dickinson said committing reserve funds would reduce borrowing needs and was a prudent financial decision. Committee members asked that staff return with more detailed timelines, funding breakdowns, and subsequent decision points as the project advances.
Both motions were forwarded to the full county board for final approval; staff will include the associated resolutions and schematic design contract information in the county board packet.
