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Committee hears updates on freezer, plaster repairs and Timber Drive parking lot; CIP funding questions remain
Summary
Oneida County staff reported a repaired jail walk-in freezer and flagged potential 2027 CIP needs; plaster repairs and Timber Drive parking lot were discussed but Opioid Settlement funding was deemed inapplicable and further detail is needed before action.
County Facilities Director Troy Huber updated the committee on multiple facility maintenance concerns on May 4, highlighting potential capital needs for 2027.
Huber reported that the jail's interior walk-in freezer "was not holding temperature properly, but a contractor has since serviced the unit and it is currently operating as intended." He said the freezer and cooler mechanical systems are included among proposed 2027 CIP items and warned that compressor failure could require costly replacement, prompting committee concern about projected costs.
On plaster repairs in the courthouse, Huber said he had requested more detailed information from the vendor but had not yet received it. Member Robert Almekinder said the vendor proposal appeared vague; member Billy Fried asked whether insurance coverage might apply. Lindsey Kennedy said the County submitted the plaster project to the Wisconsin Historical Society for review and that Corporation Counsel determined the project does not qualify for Opioid Settlement funding. The committee postponed action until staff obtains clearer vendor detail and counsel or insurer guidance.
Huber also reviewed the Timber Drive facility parking lot, reporting significant winter deterioration and vehicle-damage concerns; Buildings & Grounds placed gravel in the worst-affected back corner as a temporary measure. Kennedy said the County requested Opioid Settlement funding for the lot but counsel determined it was inapplicable; the project remains on the 2027 CIP list. Committee member Fried asked about converting the lot to gravel; staff discouraged that option because of maintenance and plowing concerns.
Staff provided several other brief project notes: the maintenance plow truck has a new estimated arrival date of April 24–May 12; the PH/ADRC roof replacement contractor is slated to begin the week of May 4, 2026; and other projects—LEC cooling tower replacement, Monico tower generator replacement and fire panel upgrades—had no new updates. The committee requested continued updates on the freezer and cost estimates for larger projects.
The committee did not authorize immediate expenditures at the meeting; several items remain on the 2027 CIP list pending more detailed bids, vendor responses and counsel or insurer clarifications.
