Washington County outlines $7 million government center renovation, bids due July 1; water service, phasing and retainage flagged

Washington County staff presented a master‑plan update for a multi‑phase renovation of the county government center, saying the project is being put out for public bid with a mandatory on‑site prebid meeting and bids due July 1. The presentation included a budget estimate of about $7,000,000, six listed alternates for interior finishes, a proposed construction start in August 2025 and a projected overall completion in November 2026.

County staff said the renovation will be split into roughly three phases intended to keep the building as open and accessible as possible. Scott, a county staff member leading the presentation, said the architect and project team expect roughly five months of work per phase but that the contractor selected in the bidding process may propose adjustments to sequencing and duration.

The county presented a list of alternates—new finishes for suites (district attorney, human resources, finance), painting and flooring—and said those alternates will be included in the bid packet. Staff also said LED lighting upgrades and other smaller construction items will be offered as optional alternates.

The budget update noted several line items listed as zero. Staff explained one of those was a redundant secondary water service; extensions to provide separate water feeding to the sheriff’s department were considered but left out of the current budget estimate because of cost and uncertain plans for a potential new adjacent building. The county said the jail and sheriff’s department are served by a single water main and that the existing 3‑inch service does not provide adequate pressure to feed the jail from the building’s service without a larger lateral or a new service tied to future development.

Staff emphasized construction logistics: a mandatory on‑site prebid meeting will be held, the county will post the bid packet publicly, and staff will email a running list of potential contractors. Scott told the board the county anticipates an August 2025 start if contractors can obtain materials; bids were described as due July 1 (year stated in meeting context as 2025). A county representative said some site work (for example, paving) may be complete earlier—November 2025—while interior work would continue into 2026, creating potential requests from subcontractors for phased retainage release.

Board members and contractors at the meeting pressed staff for additional documentation before bids: current as‑built drawings, clearer demolition drawings, and more complete electrical/site lighting details (conductor sizes, conduit routing). A speaker identified as a contractor asked that the project include overall demolition and existing‑to‑remain drawings on a single sheet for clarity; Supervisor Schwab and others supported obtaining more complete as‑builts so bidders do not guess existing conditions.

Security and circulation changes were described: a secured east lobby door that will remain open most of the time but can be locked to prevent threats from entering the main administrative building, and temporary barricades proposed for the west parking lot instead of immediate permanent security modifications. Staff said the western lot entry will be rerouted and temporary barricades used while usage patterns settle.

Interior plan changes presented by the architect, Jason Gusto of PRA, include moving a small conference room and storage in the clerk’s office to create an additional workstation; shifting register of deeds shelving arrangements; and minor relocations of the treasurer’s office. Staff said these interior changes do not alter the building footprint.

Board members asked about permits and inspections. Staff said the project will follow local zoning code and that the City of West Bend will perform building, electrical and plumbing inspections for portions handled by that municipality. Purchasing staff and project staff confirmed that bid and performance bonds will be required and that retainage and warranty terms will be set in the contract documents; staff said purchasing will provide final direction on retainage release and bond handling.

Questions about warranty and punch lists drew discussion of phasing: staff said the intent is to set a single final completion target (November 2026) rather than staggered final completions, though staff acknowledged that subcontractors who finish earlier (for example, site paving) may request partial retainage release and that those requests would be handled with purchasing if they arise.

No formal motion or vote to authorize the bid package was recorded in the transcript. Staff said they plan further coordination meetings, including a contractor walk‑through and a project meeting the coming Thursday morning at 9 a.m., and that the next full board review would be scheduled if major changes arise during bidding or walkthroughs.

The presentation closed with staff asking the board to note the update; the meeting record shows discussion, questions and directions to prepare the bid documents and additional technical information for prospective bidders.

Ending: Staff said they would notify the chair about significant changes discovered in walk‑throughs or the bid process and would return to the board if substantive modifications were required.