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Germantown panel recommends MSA for Holy Hill Gateway master plan after residents urge more outreach
Summary
The Plan Commission voted to recommend MSA Professional Services as the consultant for the Holy Hill Gateway District master plan, a nine-month effort budgeted at about $65,000–$90,000; residents had urged broader public engagement and called for a temporary fiscal pause until a Baird study is complete.
The Germantown Plan Commission voted Jan. 12 to recommend MSA Professional Services as the preferred consultant to prepare a master plan for the Holy Hill Gateway District, advancing a roughly nine‑month process with an estimated budget of $65,000 to $90,000.
The selection followed a public-comment period in which resident Lynn Shower Bednarves urged the commission not to proceed with the project until affected residents were contacted and involved, saying the public had been "muzzled" when the commission declined to read constituent emails aloud. "This is our money that you're dealing with," Bednarves said during the meeting’s citizen‑input portion.
The commission heard from staff and several commissioners about the evaluation process. Jeff (community development) summarized the RFP: the master plan is intended as a supplement to the village’s 2050 comprehensive plan; it will guide future land uses, infrastructure, design and environmental protections; and the RFP contemplates a nine‑month process. "The budget is expected to be between 65 and $90,000," Jeff said. He told commissioners the evaluation team — village staff including the administrator, DPW director, village engineer, community development director and associate planner — ranked the five proposals, with MSA first, VanderWaal/RA Smith second and Graef/Furthermore third.
Resident Melanie Smyth urged stronger public engagement and asked that plan commissioners be actively involved in shaping outreach rather than merely moderating meetings. Smyth also suggested a temporary fiscal policy that would pause village spending on development projects until the Baird fiscal study is complete, citing five‑year capital plan figures and projected increases in debt service.
Commissioners debated whether to interview finalists. Some said interviews rarely separate qualified firms and recommended forwarding the top selection to the village board; others said interviews can help assess the specific project manager who will lead the work. Commissioner 6 moved and the commission approved forwarding MSA's ranking to the village board; the staff was directed to invite MSA to present at the village board meeting on Jan. 19, with the schedule to be adjusted if the firm cannot attend.
What happens next: The village board will consider the commission’s recommendation and make a final consultant selection; the RFP includes an optional interview step that the board could require. The commission emphasized that the master plan process will include public outreach elements the selected consultant will implement.
