Waukesha Board of Public Works approves multiple road, park and wastewater contracts and awards

Waukesha Board of Public Works members on April 17 approved a series of contracts, bid awards and budgeted maintenance actions for city roads, parks and wastewater facilities, including a $2,195,761.99 low bid for the Green Meadow Drive and Cascade Drive Utility and Street Improvement Project and a $603,000 award for a porous “flexi pave” surface in the Formal Gardens.

The actions matter because they move multiple capital and operating projects into construction or implementation, affecting street resurfacing, park accessibility and maintenance of the city’s wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

The board voted to accept the low bid from Wandel Contractors of $2,195,761.99 for the Green Meadow/Cascade utility and street work after staff said three competitive bids were received and most of the work will be concrete and underground utility work. The motion passed with board members recording aye votes; the official tally on the record was unanimous among members present.

On a separate project, staff recommended — and the board approved — accepting Alternate 2 on bids for the Park Formal Gardens Pathway Irrigation and Drainage System, a $603,000 scope for placing flexible, porous pavement on the garden walkways rather than limestone screenings or permeable concrete. Mark Schramm, the city’s new Customer and Administrative Services Manager for Park, Recreation and Forestry, told the board the material is made of recycled rubber and a binder, handles up to 4 inches of water per hour, is slip- and crack-resistant, ADA-compliant and requires lower ongoing maintenance than crushed limestone. "It's very environmentally friendly," Schramm said. He added the surface has an estimated minimum lifespan of 15 years depending on wear.

Several board members noted the Formal Gardens generate rental revenue and that the surfacing choice affects accessibility and maintenance costs; one member said they supported the use in this location but did not want the material to become standard across unrelated park projects.

The board approved a contract with McMahon Associates for 2025 stormwater facility vegetation management work to help establish native plantings along recent ditch and swale projects; that contract was a lump sum of $15,540 and was described as an operating expense. Board members asked staff to check whether future years of maintenance could be moved into related capital projects to relieve pressure on the operating budget; staff said they would follow up with the finance office.

The board also approved an amendment (Contract Amendment No. 3) with Strand Associates adding $1,020,600 for construction management services tied to the sludge drying and facility electrical upgrades at the Clean Water Plant. Staff said the construction portion of the larger project had been awarded previously by the city council and that the amendment funds on-site engineering and construction administration for the dryer installation and associated electrical work. Staff said the overall project remains under budget to date.

A change order with Sable Mechanical for four check valves at the Rivers Crossing and Gulf Road pump stations — $2,035 per valve, $8,140 total — was approved. The board also adopted the city’s annual street opening prices for 2025 (the fees charged to contractors excavating in the right-of-way) and approved four payments presented by staff, including a final payment related to the Wilseorge Public Library project.

A one-time sewer bill credit of $111.49 requested by a resident, Rachel Zuniga, for estimated extra irrigation usage after establishing a new lawn in October 2024 was approved.

Not all items moved forward: the West Paul Performance Center Improvements Project received no bids; staff said the item will be repackaged and brought back to bidders. For the Park Formal Gardens project staff noted the procurement produced one responsive bid for the package as scoped, and for the West Paul item staff will rescope and reissue the solicitation.

In reports, staff said the recent Brush and Branch pickup concluded with no accidents and 844 loads of brush collected — an increase from prior years — and that the increase may be partly attributable to last fall’s leaf-pickup schedule changes. Joe Boginski, manager of that operation, estimated the extra material from leaf debris at about "10 to 15% more." The board adjourned after the regular business.

Votes at a glance - 4A: Approval of April 3 minutes — motion carried. (Recorded aye votes on the public record.) - 5A: Approval of four payments including a final payment for Wilseorge Public Library — motion carried. (Mover: Joe Piper; second: Kevin Riley; recorded ayes.) - 6A: Resolution to approve Cemetery Chapel Tuck Pointing Project — motion carried. - 7A: Award to Wandel Contractors — Green Meadow Drive and Cascade Drive Utility and Street Improvement Project, $2,195,761.99 — motion carried. - 7B: Park Formal Gardens Pathway: award of Alternate 2 (flexi pave) — $603,000 — motion carried; staff and Park Rec recommended Alternate 2 based on longevity, accessibility and lower maintenance. - 7C: West Paul Performance Center Improvements: no bids received; item to be repackaged (no award). - 8A: Contract award to McMahon Associates for stormwater vegetation management, $15,540 — motion carried. - 8B: Adoption of 2025 street opening prices — motion carried. - 8C: Contract Amendment No. 3 with Strand Associates for construction management (sludge drying and electrical upgrades), $1,020,600 — motion carried. - 8D: Change Order No. 1 with Sable Mechanical for check valves at pump stations, $8,140 — motion carried. - 9A: One-time sewer credit for Rachel Zuniga, $111.49 — motion carried.

Discussion versus action: The article separates decisions (approved motions and contract awards), direction to staff (the request to explore shifting maintenance costs into capital accounts), and items with no action (West Paul Improvements, which received no bids). Where speakers supplied technical details or cost estimates, the article attributes those statements; where a specific speaker could not be tied to a line in the transcript the summary paraphrases staff presentations without individual attribution.

The Board of Public Works meeting opened with roll call and closed after routine reports; no executive session was recorded.