Committee narrows Madeline Island shoreline project after bid comes in over FEMA-funded budget

The Ashland County Highway Committee voted to reduce the scope of a FEMA-funded shoreline stabilization project on Madeline Island after the single bid came in substantially higher than budgeted.

Highway Commissioner Matthew told the committee the project bid from Nelson Construction was about $1,842,000, compared with the county budget of $1,338,000. He said the county has about $231,516 in cost savings from two completed road projects that can be reallocated and proposed removing a lower-priority bank repair (labeled “area 1” in the bid documents) and trimming another section to bring the project within available funds.

The committee’s action preserves the project this construction season while reducing some work that county staff said could be addressed later in-house if needed. Matthew said the project must be built this year to meet grant deadlines and because permitting and design were delayed earlier in the season by a DNR review.

Matthew said the FEMA award is arriving as a subgrant through Wisconsin Emergency Management and that officials have been told the subgrant is proceeding. “It is all a go,” he said, when asked whether the funding remains available.

Committee members discussed which pieces could be cut with minimal near-term effect. Matthew said area 1 is the “lowest bank” and could be deferred with little immediate impact; other trimmed sections are short tie-ins where easements are unclear. He recommended a reduced-scope contract that county staff estimated would lower the required county contribution to about $1,538,425, which is within the amount the committee calculated was available when savings from other projects were added.

Dan, a county staff member, confirmed the county has already appropriated highway funds that could be reallocated for the work. Committee members said timing was tight: permitting, federal requirements and a July spending deadline for the grant compressed the schedule.

A motion to authorize the highway commissioner to adjust the contract and scope as needed to fit within the county’s available dollars and proceed with construction this year passed by voice vote.

The committee also discussed follow-up steps: field visits when the work is done, and coordination with county board members who may want to see the completed project. Matthew said contractors and the county’s designer (SEH) will continue to work on the schedule, and noted that Nelson Construction indicated it is ready to move once the contract is signed.

Ending: The committee approved the scope-reduction approach to keep the project in this construction season while using county improvement funds and project savings to cover the higher-than-expected bid. Committee members said they will monitor construction progress and invite interested county board members to view the finished work.