Highway Committee Meeting — Minutes

Meeting Minutes HIGHWAY COMMITTEE TUESDAY, May 5th, 2026, 6:00 PM TOWN CONFERENCE ROOM W3728 Franklin Walsh St. Zenda, WI. 53195 1) Call to Order: 6:00 pm 2) Roll Call: Palmer, Livingston, Handel, Hayden present. Polyock absent - excused. 3) Approval of meeting minutes: - Motion by Handel, second by Hayden motioned to approve the minutes from February 3rd, 2026, meeting. Motion Carried 4) Comments from the public: - Ben Stewart, resident of W3805 Parker Drive, addressed the committee regarding a significant water drainage issue on his property. He explained that water from the road accumulates on his property, particularly during heavy rains, and overflows a 12-inch drain that has a restrictive 4-inch pipe, causing water to flow over his driveway and into his garage and basement. - Mr. Stewart requested the Town’s assistance in moving the water more effectively to an existing trench, potentially by installing a new drainage system. - Matt Wittum confirmed he has previously inspected the site and the current system is inadequate for handling excessive rainfall. - The committee noted that as this item was not on the agenda, no action could be taken. - Action: The committee agreed to add the item to the agenda for the next meeting to allow for full discussion and potential action. 5) a. Highway Profit & Loss Statements - April 2026 - David Zimmerman presented the monthly financials, noting that repairs and maintenance of highway equipment are on par with expectations. He noted that a significant amount of resurfacing work has been approved, which will add to the account in the coming months. - Action: No formal motion, report accepted as presented.- No action taken. b. Monthly Highway Report - Matt Wittum presented the report, noting a busier winter than in recent years for material usage. - He highlighted that recent heavy rains have caused significant issues, with over 80 new concerns (shoulder washouts, backed-up culverts) added to the tracking spreadsheet. - A discussion ensued regarding the Town's ordinance that makes property owners responsible for their culvert maintenance. Wittum noted that many culverts are blocked and property owners are often uncooperative. The committee discussed potentially changing the policy to allow the Town to handle maintenance and cost recovery but agreed that due to the emergency nature of the recent rains, the Town should assist with cleaning. This item was discussed for future consideration. c. Monthly Vehicle Maintenance Report - March & April 2026 - Matt Wittum reported that maintenance costs for March and April were relatively low. - Upcoming work includes approximately $4,500 in front-end repairs on an older truck (the "old 550"). - Action: No formal motion, report accepted as presented. d. Permitting manure lines in Town rights-of-way - The committee discussed the permanent installation of manure transfer lines over Town roads. - Matt Wittum noted that a recent installation by Collins Sanitary was done without permission and is a potential safety hazard (height and liability), hindering road maintenance like plowing. - Discussion included the possibility of creating a permit process, but the committee agreed that this would be undesirable. Preference was given to requiring landowners to install culverts under the road for these purposes. - Motion by Palmer, second by Hayden to recommend to the Town Board denying the use and permitting of overhead manure lines in Town rights-of-way. Motion Carried. e. N1808 Woodland; standing water issue - Wittum reported on a complaint regarding standing water on Woodland, which appears to be caused by flat grading and concrete curb work that was not constructed by the Town. - The committee agreed that the water does not present an immediate hazard. It was decided that the issue could be addressed as a part of a future road project when drainage improvements in the subdivision are planned. - Action: No formal motion. The committee directed staff to note the issue for consideration during future roadway project planning. f. Alley vacation requests - The committee reviewed two requests for vacation of Town-owned alley/right-of-way parcels (W3640 Glenmore and Tax Parcel IGV00020). - Matt Wittum explained the process, noting that the Town has vacated similar pieces in the past. The committee discussed the benefits of vacating all remaining unused alley parcels in the subdivision at once, rather than processing them piecemeal. - Motion by Livingston, second by Handel to recommend to the Town Board to start the process to vacate the two parcels on the agenda (A and B). Motion Carried. g. Ordination Violation Process - Matt Wittum expressed significant frustration with the Town's code enforcement process, stating that he is chasing issues (e.g., erosion control violations, road damage) that are years old without any resolution. - He cited specific examples, including the Eric Glenn property on the North Shore, where sediment washes onto the road and fills ditches, and a property on Basswood where a contractor damaged a paved ditch and has not repaired it. - Wittum stated he feels he has no support from the Code Enforcement Officer and needs a more robust process with teeth, such as certified letters with deadlines, fines, or the ability to place costs on the tax roll. - The committee agreed this is a Town Board issue regarding enforcement and accountability. No formal motion was taken, but the committee signaled that the matter should be elevated to the Town Board for a broader policy discussion. h. Basswood curb replacement bid-damage by contractors - Wittum requested permission to put out specifications to bid for the replacement of approximately 140 feet of damaged curb on Basswood. This is the second phase of a project, with the first phase having been completed a couple of years ago. - Motion by Palmer, second by Livingston to authorize staff to create specifications and put the Basswood curb replacement project out for bid. Motion Carried. i. South Lakeshore Drainage project- request to bid - Wittum reported that the Town has successfully made contact with the property owners on South Lakeshore. The project scope has been reduced, and the Town will not need to replace the entire concrete wall, significantly reducing the cost. - The engineer's final plans and cost estimate are included in the packet. The project includes plans to install a cedar split rail fence and plant evergreens to screen the property. - Motion by Livingston, second by Hayden to recommend to the Town Board putting the South Lakeshore Drainage project out for bid. Motion Carried. j. Transportation Resolution, Wisconsin Towns Association - Wittum presented a resolution from the Wisconsin Towns Association requesting the state legislature to improve funding mechanisms for transportation projects. - The committee discussed the resolution, which encourages municipalities to support better state funding. - Motion by Jim Livingston, second by Palmer to recommend to the Town Board approving the Transportation Resolution. Motion Carried. k. Hillside Bridge Project - Loudenbeck driveway request - The committee discussed a request from Seth Loudenbeck regarding his driveway. The new Hillside Road bridge is being raised by 3 feet, which will create a severe 10% grade at the entrance to his driveway. - This grade is a safety concern, especially for large vehicles like lowboy trailers used on his property. - The committee agreed that it is the Town's responsibility to mitigate this issue. Matt Wittum suggested a simple solution of raising the low point of the driveway with gravel and extending the asphalt paving to reduce the slope to an acceptable level (e.g., 5%). - It was agreed that this work should be done as a separate agreement with the paving subcontractor to avoid costly change orders with the main contractor. - Motion by Handel, second by Livingston to recommend to the Town Board authorizing up to $20,000 for work on the Loudenbeck driveway to reduce the slope upon completion of the contracted bridge work. Motion Carried. l. Project Updates - April 2026 - Hillside Bridge: Ahead of schedule, with a projected mid-July completion. - Lackey Lane: Contractor has ordered materials but work has not started due to heavy rain and the need for a gas main relocation. - Mohawk Road: Paving is underway and expected to be completed soon. - Zenda Road: Engineering is working to keep grading slopes within the right-of- way to avoid needing temporary easements. 6) Date for next meeting: June 7th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. 7) Adjournment: Motion by Palmer, second by Handel to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:22 PM. Minutes by Administrator/Treasurer - David Zimmerman