Council refers first-reading road maintenance ordinance to Public Works Committee after debate over bidding and project splits

The Roaming Shores Village Council referred Ordinance 2026-02-01 — a first-reading measure authorizing the village administrator to enter an agreement for seal coat, fog seal and crack-sealing services for several roads — to the Public Works Committee following an extended debate over procurement, scope and public notice.

Mayor and the administrator presented the ordinance and the attached contractor quote, which lists the project amount in the ordinance language. Administrator Mark said the work was needed to start spring projects and that "we really need to get something in place so that we can get a start on spring work and get things scheduled." The ordinance text as introduced named Flame Lake Drive, Morning Star Drive, Beaver Dam Road and Calendar Road and listed a contract amount in the ordinance document.

Several council members pushed back on the ordinance’s structure and timing. Council member Stephen Coffman criticized the plan to bring the project in parts, saying it "is half of the project and I take offense to the fact that we are being asked to vote now and again in two and a half months on an identical ordinance for the second half of the project," and argued splitting the work could appear to evade bidding rules and mislead residents about total cost. Other council members said the quote and attachments control the precise work and language and that delaying could risk losing the contractor’s schedule.

At least two procedural motions were made on the ordinance. A motion to vote on the ordinance immediately was made and seconded but failed on roll call. A later motion by Bob Cook to refer the matter to the Public Works Committee — "who deals with the roads," as a council member put it — was seconded and passed on roll call; the committee will take the item up at its March 6 meeting.

The council did not adopt the ordinance tonight; instead the referral will allow the Public Works Committee and staff to reconcile scope (seal coat and crack sealing versus chip-and-seal or paving), verify the quote language that accompanies the ordinance, and advise council whether to move forward as written or send the project to competitive bid. The administrator indicated that if council directs bidding, staff will comply; if not, they will proceed under the agreed procurement path.

Next step: the Public Works Committee will discuss the ordinance and contractor quote at its March 6 meeting and return a recommendation to full council.