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Oconomowoc council approves Village Green design updates; restroom-location fight continues
Summary
The council approved up to $43,000 to update Village Green design and bid documents so work can be put out to bid before funding windows close; aldermen debated whether to include laterals and an alternate bid for a restroom on the green, but an amendment to remove those laterals failed and the resolution passed unanimously.
Oconomowoc ' The City of Oconomowoc Common Council voted Feb. 17 to authorize staff to move forward with updated plans, specifications and bidding documents for the Village Green (City Green) reconstruction, but the item drew a sustained debate about restroom placement and whether to include laterals in the bid documents to preserve future options.
Staff request and cost: Parks staff asked the council to approve a not-to-exceed $43,000 contract with MSA to update the park design drawings, grading and utility plans and prepare full bidding documents. The work would make the project shovel-ready and allow the city to use available funding within required timeframes (including certain TIF and park-impact funds).
The restroom disagreement: Several aldermen opposed placing a permanent restroom structure directly on the green. Alderman Shellpepper and others argued a green-located restroom would invite unsafe pedestrian crossings through busy parking and could generate neighborhood opposition; proponents said accessible restrooms near the green would help seniors and visitors. Council considered, then rejected, an amendment to remove an alternate-bid restroom lateral (infrastructure) from the bid package. The amendment failed, and the final resolution approving plan updates, including the alternate restroom laterals as an option, passed on a unanimous roll call of aldermen present.
Why laterals matter: Supporters of including laterals said retrofitting sewer/water later would require re-digging paved areas, making future restroom installation costly. Opponents said including laterals could enable a future council to place a building in a location they did not support; the majority voted that preserving the option and avoiding future excavation was fiscally prudent.
Next steps: With plan updates funded from park-impact fees, staff will complete full bid documents and then return recommended contract awards for council approval. The council recorded that the final decision on whether to build a restroom on the green will be for a future council and mayor to consider; the updated plans will preserve the laterals so future options remain possible without reworking underground utilities.
Attribution: Parks staff (Herzog) presented the request and estimated costs. Aldermen who spoke at length on the issue included Spiegelberg, Shellpepper, Rosick, Ellis, Mulder and others.
The resolution authorizes completion of plans, specifications and bidding documents for the City Green reconstruction and does not itself authorize construction of a restroom.
