Highway Committee Meeting — Minutes

Meeting Minutes HIGHWAY COMMITTEE TUESDAY, March 3rd, 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, Polyock, Handel present. Hayden absent (excused, family matter). 3) Approval of meeting minutes: - Motion by Polyock, second by Handel motioned to approve the minutes from February 3rd, 2026, meeting. Motion Carried 4) Comments from the public: None 5) m. State Line Road Winter Damage - Matt Wittum reported significant deterioration on State Line Road, with approximately 2,200 square feet of damage that is actively worsening. - A discussion ensued regarding the best course of action. Allan Polyock strongly advocated for a complete road rebuild (pulverizing and relaying with a new base) rather than temporary patching, noting that Hebron Township is planning similar work on their adjacent portion. - The committee consensus was to defer the planned Woodstone subdivision resurfacing and instead direct the eventual winning bidder to provide an alternate bid for a full rebuild of State Line Road. - No formal motion was taken, as the item was for discussion and strategic direction ahead of the bid openings. - No action taken. a. Pavement Maintenance Bids (Crack Fill, Chip Seal) - Bids were opened from Farmers and Thunder Road, LLC. - Farmers' total base bid was $303,687. - Thunder Road's total bid was $404,000. - After review, the committee determined that all Farmers' bid items were acceptable, and by removing the "West Side" project ($62,174), the total cost could be brought under budget. - Motion by Handel, second by Polyock to recommend to the Town Board awarding the pavement maintenance contract to Fahrner for all bid items except the West Side location, for a total cost of $241,512.67. The bid is understood to include standard paint striping; staff will confirm with the vendor. Motion Carried. b. Road Resurfacing Bids - Bids were opened from Asphalt Contractors, Inc., Payne & Dolan, Inc., Stark Pavement Corp., and Wolf Paving. - Total bid amounts for all projects (Mohawk Road, Lackey Lane, Woodstone Lane, Fire Department Approach, and patching) were reviewed, with Wolf Paving appearing the lowest overall. - A lengthy discussion focused on aligning the projects with the available budget and the new priority of rebuilding State Line Road. - The committee considered various combinations and ultimately agreed that only Mohawk Road would be awarded at this time, as it is the highest priority and allows the township to reserve significant funds for the State Line Road project. - Payne & Dolan was identified as the lowest responsible bidder for the Mohawk Road project specifically. - It was further agreed that the Fire Department Approach line item ($12,663.90 in the Wolf bid) should be handled by the Buildings and Grounds committee and removed from the highway budget consideration. The alternate patching bid items were also set aside. - Motion by Livingston, second by Handel to recommend to the Town Board awarding the Mohawk Road resurfacing project to Payne & Dolan, Inc. Motion Carried. - The committee directed staff to work with Payne & Dolan to obtain a firm price for the State Line Road rebuild and report back at the April Town Board meeting. Staff was also authorized to rebid the project if the price is not competitive. c. Highway Profit & Loss / Monthly Reports - David Zimmerman presented the monthly financials. The only significant variance was in equipment repairs, attributed to the previously approved $30,000 tractor repair. d. Monthly Highway Report - Matt Wittum presented the monthly highway report, highlighting the removal of 41 trees (including large oaks) in seven workdays, demonstrating the productivity gained from the additional crew member. He also reported that the in-house culvert inventory is complete. e. Monthly Vehicle Maintenance Report - Wittum outlined that on 1/18/2026 a farmer (York's, using a Walters applicator) ran a manure transfer hose over Linton Road without notifying the town, creating a potential safety hazard and liability issue. f. Lackey Lane Drainage Project Bid Documents - Wittum confirmed the bid documents are complete and ready to be advertised. With the committee's decision to not pave Lackey Lane this year, the October 1, 2026, completion date included in the bid documents is less critical, taking pressure off the timeline. - Motion by Livingston, second by Polyock to recommend to the Town Board that the Lackey Lane Drainage Project be authorized to go out for bid. Motion Carried. g. Culvert Inventory Update (6-20 Program) - Wittum reported that the county's 6-20 inspection reports have been received and include numerical grades, which simplifies priority setting. Only one structure (on Maple Ridge) is currently eligible for a specific state funding program (Local Small Structure Improvement Program). Staff will apply for this funding. h. Cost Recovery for Road Damage - Wittum initiated a discussion on the ongoing challenge of recovering costs for road damage caused by private construction. He noted that last year, the town spent nearly $40,000 on such damages but collected only $13,000-$15,000 through permit fees. He presented options, including withholding Certificates of Occupancy until road conditions are inspected and approved. - Supervisor Palmer supported the occupancy permit idea, calling it "simple." Wittum explained the process would involve the building inspector notifying him when permits are pulled, allowing him to photograph conditions before and after construction. - Polyock raised a concern about contractors parking down the road and damaging areas not directly in front of the construction site, questioning how those damages would be attributed. - Livingston offered a comprehensive alternative perspective after reviewing the issue. He argued that chasing individual property owners is ineffective and creates conflict with new residents: "all we're doing is aggravating a new resident... they're saying, 'Well, I didn't do it.'" He noted that a new home build with a $725,000 valuation pays a $5,600 permit fee, and increasing that by $500 would be unnoticeable to the builder but could generate sufficient revenue to cover road damage costs systemically. He suggested raising the road damage fee from 10% to 20% on all relevant permits, allowing the town to "just be done with it" rather than pursuing individual claims. He noted even pool permits ($297 currently) could contribute, as pool excavation can cause significant damage. - Committee reached consensus to support Livingston's proposal to increase the permit fee percentage rather than pursue individual enforcement. The matter will be forwarded to the Town Board for discussion and potential ordinance amendment. Action: Bring to Town Board for discussion and potential ordinance amendment. i. Utility Permit Fee Review - Committee addressed a calculation error in the "Utility Construction in the Right-of-Way" permit fee. The current formula for trenching in excess of 1,320 linear feet was described by Wittum as having "some really fun tabulation or calculation that I have no idea where it came from." He proposed adopting a straightforward per-foot fee of $0.11 for trenching, plowing, or boring in excess of 1,320 feet. - Motion by Livingston, second by Handel to recommend to the Town Board amending the fee calculation for trenching, plowing, or boring in excess of 1,320 linear feet to $0.11 per foot. Motion Carried. j. Purchase Requests – Blower & 3 Blade - Wittum requested approval for two equipment purchases: a new blower ($9,600) to replicate the performance of one purchased last year, and a shoulder grading blade attachment ($5,072) for the dump truck to enhance in-house shoulder maintenance capabilities. - Motion by Livingston, second by Handel to recommend to the Town Board the purchase of the new blower for $9,600. Motion Carried (Polyock voted Nay). - Motion by Livingston, second by Handel to recommend to the Town Board the purchase of the shoulder grading blade for $5,072. Motion Carried. k. 2026/2027 Winter Salt Procurement - Discussion on the upcoming salt bid. Wittum recommended ordering the same amount as the previous year (900 tons). - Motion by Livingston, second by Handel to recommend to the Town Board procuring 900 tons of salt for the 2026-2027 season. Motion Carried. l. Linton Road Colvert - Wittum reported promising contact with a company regarding a damaged 800- pair fiber optic line, potentially avoiding the need for the town to cut it. n. Project Updates February 2026 - David Zimmerman provided an update on the Hillside Road overpass project: the construction bid was approved, and the state awarded an additional $331,000, bringing the total project funding to $1.8 million. Construction prep is expected to begin in April. 6) Date for next meeting: May 5th, 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