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Wauwatosa council approves contracts, appointments and event permit; multiple infrastructure and planning contracts advance
Summary
At its April 21 meeting the Wauwatosa Common Council approved a slate of contracts, reappointments and a special-event permit, and advanced several engineering and public-works contracts. Most measures passed unanimously; one contract amendment drew a recorded opposition vote.
The Wauwatosa Common Council on April 21 approved minutes, multiple mayoral reappointments and a series of contracts and amendments covering public-safety notifications, park improvements, engineering work on utility and paving projects, and small-business procurement planning.
The council unanimously approved the minutes of the March 18, 2025, regular meeting and reappointed Kiara Caldwell (Board of Parks and Forestry Commissioners, term ending 04/30/2028), Patricia Stone (Board of Zoning Appeals, term ending 04/30/2028), Thomas Stacy (Design Review Board, term ending 06/30/2027) and Mary Nelson (Library Board, term ending 06/30/2028).
The Government Affairs Committee recommendation to approve a special-event permit and temporary extension of licensed premises for Jackson Fest at Jackson's Blue Ribbon Pub (11302 W. Bluemound Road) on June 7, 2025, passed unanimously.
Key Financial Affairs Committee approvals included: - A three-year contract with Rave Mobile Safety for a mass notification system at $13,770 per year (total $41,310) (approved 15-0). - A contract with Midwest SealCoat LLC to install six pickleball courts at Hart Park (dollar amount reported during the meeting as $51,000) (approved 15-0). - An amendment to the professional services agreement with MSA for continued stormwater modeling and preliminary engineering on the Schumacher Creek Watershed CIP project (Project 3005) in the amount of $400,000 (approved 15-0). - An amendment to the professional services agreement with RA Smith related to the Watertown Plank Road and North 100 and Fifteenth Street utilities and paving projects (CIP Project 1025), increasing the contract by $151,245 (recorded approval with one vote in opposition; tally recorded in the transcript as 13 yes, 1 no). - A contract with Prism Technical to create and monitor a procurement equity participation plan for the Mandel Group’s Harlow and Hem multi-unit residential proposal, not to exceed $86,937 (approved after discussion; the final tally recorded in the transcript was 13 yes, 2 no).
During debate on the Prism Technical item, Alder McClough said developers should bear the cost of compliance verification rather than the city; city staff clarified that the expense would be paid from the project’s tax incremental district (TID) increment. Project representative Mr. Vojini stated, “The tax incremental district is,” when asked whether the cost would come from the city general fund.
The Board of Public Works items were moved with a single vote and approved by the council. Those included: approval of an encroachment to install four deep groundwater monitoring wells within Hart Park on behalf of Vanguard Partners (board recommended approval 6-0); award of Contract 25-11 (alley reconstruction, Project 1025) to Milwaukee General Construction in the amount of $199,546 (board recommended approval 6-0); and final payments or change orders for several contracts, including incinerator building demolition, the Blanchard Street pumping-station modifications, the 2023 sidewalk repair program, Wauwatosa Bike Share 3 final payment and an alley reconstruction contract. The council approved those Board of Public Works items unanimously (15-0).
Alder Moldenhauer moved the Financial Affairs slate and said, “I would like to move items 1 through 5 for approval.” Voting records and recorded tallies are included below.
Votes at a glance - Minutes (03/18/2025): approved (motion: Alder Franzen; second: Alder Lewis); vote: 15-0. - Mayoral reappointments (Caldwell, Stone, Stacy, Nelson): approved; vote: 15-0. - Jackson Fest special-event permit (Noelle Bridal/Jackson’s Blue Ribbon Pub): approved; vote: 15-0. - Rave Mobile Safety contract: approved; vote: 15-0. - Midwest SealCoat (Hart Park pickleball courts): approved; vote: 15-0. - MSA stormwater amendment (Schumacher Creek CIP 3005) $400,000: approved; vote: 15-0. - RA Smith amendment (Watertown Plank Rd. utilities/paving) +$151,245: approved; recorded vote noted as 13-1. - Prism Technical procurement equity plan (not to exceed $86,937): approved; recorded in the transcript as 13-2. - Board of Public Works contract awards and final payments (multiple contracts listed in the meeting): approved; vote: 15-0.
What happens next: several items return to the council later in May after Planning Commission or administrative processing where required. The planning commission will review the three conditional-use permit items heard tonight on May 12 before they come back for council consideration on May 20.
Ending: The council moved through a broad slate of routine and project-specific approvals during the regular meeting; several engineering and planning items will continue through the city’s review process before final implementation.
