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Council approves community campus charter and MOU after amendments and geotech debate
Summary
The Middleton Common Council approved a revised project charter (with a new mitigation line to 'listen and act' on resident concerns) and a memorandum of understanding with the library board and commission on aging; the meeting included debate over square footage limits, RFP flexibility and whether the city should conduct an independent geotechnical study.
The Middleton Common Council voted Aug. 4 to approve a revised project charter for a proposed community campus—encompassing city hall, a library component and a senior center—and unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding among the council, the Library Board of Trustees and the Commission on Aging covering design, financing and construction.
Alder Crow moved to approve the project charter and Alder Opitz successfully proposed an amendment to Section 10 (risks and mitigation) to add “listening and acting on issues raised by residents” as a mitigation strategy for community opposition. The council approved the amended charter.
Members spent substantial time debating whether the charter’s listed square-footage guidance could inadvertently limit creative responses to the forthcoming RFP; Alder Myers urged language or RFP clarifications so architects are not discouraged from proposing alternative designs. City staff said the RFP will include language to preserve flexibility and noted the charter uses the term “estimated” in relevant sections.
A separate exchange focused on geotechnical studies and potential liability. Alder Myers suggested the city commission its own geotechnical study to better understand site conditions and to avoid assigning unintended ownership of soil- or foundation-related risks; the city attorney replied that the charter’s “owner” column refers to responsibility for mitigation steps rather than legal title, and that construction contracts and consultant agreements will govern liability. Council members agreed the executive team will set geotechnical timing and issue an RFP for a project manager/owner’s representative.
The council then approved memorandum of understanding (rev 6) for the project by voice vote. Staff said the city will next finalize geotechnical timing and the project-manager RFP before issuing an A/E (architect/engineering) RFP.
