Board of Public Works Meeting — Minutes

Minutes are not official until formally approved by the Board of Public Works at the next scheduled meeting. Page 1 of 6 MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS MEETING HELD AT THE GREENFIELD CITY HALL ON TUESDAY, MARCH 24, 2026 1. Call to order The meeting was called to order by Bruce Bailey at 6:35pm. 2. Roll Call Present: Alderperson Bruce Bailey, Alderperson Andrew Drzewiecki, Alderperson Pam Akers, Denise Collins, John Graber Also present: Jeff Katz, Director, Neighborhood Services; Randy Esch, Superintendent of Public Works; Bryan Haas, City Engineer, Craig Skala, Project Manager; Attorney Chris Geary 3. Approval of the February 24, 2026, meeting minutes. Motion by Alderperson Pam Akers, seconded by Alderperson Andrew Drzewiecki to approve the February 24, 2026 meeting minutes. Motion carried unanimously. 4. Citizen Commentary Terry Kelm, 5301 W. Edgerton Ave, is concerned about the speeding and reckless driving on Edgerton Ave and 55th Street. The police department did install a speed reader in front of the office. She's asking for any recommendations. Alderman Bruce Bailey said this issue will be discussed and talked about at the next Board of Public Works meeting. 5. Public Hearing for the reconstruction of 88th, 89th, 90th and 91st Street, and 91st Place, and Plainfield Avenue, and the levying of special assessments under Section 66.0703, Wisconsin Statutes, upon property for municipal purposes. Mr. Katz said this reconstruction project includes the installation of storm water, storm sewer laterals, concrete driveway approaches, concrete or asphalt driveway replacements, concrete service walks, concrete curb and gutter, and asphalt pavement. There will be two phases: Phase 1, 90th St, 91st St, 90th Place, and Plainfield Avenue from 90th to 92nd Streets and Phase 2, 88th and 89th Streets, and Plainfield Avenue from 88th to 90th St. Phase 1 begins April 2026 and will be complete by November and Phase 2 construction will occur in 2027. Mr. Katz spoke about the preliminary resolution adopted by the Common Council and the estimated cost of the project. The following residents spoke against the project: Roger Kopplin, 4282 S. 89th Street Christie Hochuli, 4141 S. 91st Place Jason Stachowiak, 4126 S. 91st Place Matthew Bucklan, 4229 S. 90th Street Rebecca Claus, 4229 S. 90th Street The following resident spoke in favor of the project: Minutes are not official until formally approved by the Board of Public Works at the next scheduled meeting. Page 2 of 6 Jim Hagen, 4237 S. 88th St Motion by Alderperson Pam Akers, seconded by Denise Collins to approve closing the public hearing. Motion carried unanimously. 6. Discussion and decision to adopt a final resolution, to levy special assessments under Section 66.0703, Wisconsin Statutes, upon property for municipal purposes, for the reconstruction of 88th, 89th, 90th, and 91st Street, and 91st Place, and Plainfield Avenue. Mr. Bailey stated the public hearing has been closed. Mr. Geary provided a brief overview of the assessment process for the Board’s understanding. “What we have in front of us is a Police Power Special Assessment, which is different than a Taxation Special Assessment. The significance is that in order to qualify for a Police Power Special Assessment, there has to be some special benefit that incurs the property that that is different has to be allocated amongst the properties at a reasonable basis. The important thing to keep in mind, though, is that a special benefit doesn’t have to be quantified, per se. On the Taxation Special Assessment side, we have to quantify that the value of the property is no greater than the value of the assessment. On the Police Power Side, it just has to be a benefit to the property. What that means basically is, the case law defines it as it’s a difference in kind as opposed to a difference in degree from every other property in the City. So, if there’s a specific benefit that all the properties in the assessment district are realizing and that other properties in the City are not realizing from this project, then that’s a benefit. So, in this case, we’re talking curb and sewer. There are a couple of things I would say about that; there have been conversations in comments about whether curb and gutter are appropriate things to assess or not. I will say, as a practical matter, curb and gutter is an issue that is typically assessed around the state. I’m not aware of any cases that have been struck down assessing curb and gutter as not being a special assessment. I think the reason for that is that, well, twofold, is that one, the city has made the decision to assess curb and gutter in this project as it has in every other project in the city that’s similarly situated. A, to make sure there’s equal treatment around the city so all neighborhoods so that when the time comes, everyone is treated the same way. B, to recognize that there is a benefit that comes with curb and gutter. So, for example, if you guys already had a curb and gutter in your neighborhood, and the street was torn out to replace it with new curb and gutter, there would not be an assessment in that scenario because there is no benefit that is being incurred for the property. Likewise, if you had the rural cross-section, which your road currently is, and it was being replaced with another rural cross- section, again, there would be no assessment there because there is no benefit to the property. But, because you’re going from a rural cross-section, which is basically the ditch line, to a formal curb and gutter, there are benefits that come from that. There are actually multiple benefits: improved drainage, less maintenance, the curbs level out your yard, cars park up to the curb versus parking on the grass or to avoid the grass, they park closer to the center of the road, which makes it difficult for cars and Minutes are not official until formally approved by the Board of Public Works at the next scheduled meeting. Page 3 of 6 emergency vehicles to pass. Procedurally, the Board of Public Works makes a recommendation to the Common Council. The action tonight is not the final word on the assessment. The Common Council still needs to vote on the Police Power Special Assessment. Residents can address the Common Council Board on Wednesday, April 8th.” Mr. Geary stated that residents can hire an attorney and go to Circuit Court to appeal the Special Assessment. Motion by Alderperson Andrew Drzewiecki, seconded by John Graber to adopt a final resolution, to levy special assessments under Section 66.0703, Wisconsin Statutes upon property for municipal purposes, for the reconstruction of 88th, 89th, 90th and 91st Street and 91st Place, and Plainfield Avenue. Motion carried unanimously. 7. Discussion and decision to approve a revised financial agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to pay Greenfield’s share of the costs related to the replacement of the S. 92nd Street bridge over I-894. Mr. Katz stated the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is planning to replace the S. 92nd Street bridge over I-894 in 2028. This financial agreement adds the cost of sanitary manhole adjustments as Greenfield's responsibility. This is in addition to the previously included cost for new sidewalks in certain locations. The estimated cost to Greenfield is $80,250. Motion by Alderperson Pam Akers, seconded by John Graber to approve a revised financial agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to pay Greenfields's share of the costs related to the replacement of the S. 92nd Street bridge over I-894. Motion carried unanimously. 8. Discussion and decision to approve a revised maintenance agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation related to the replacement of the S. 92nd Street bridge over I-894. Mr. Katz said the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is planning to replace the S. 92nd Street Bridge over I-894 in 2028. The revised maintenance agreement adds the maintenance of sanitary manholes as Greenfield's responsibility. This is in addition to the previously included maintenance of new sidewalks constructed as part of the project. Motion by Alderperson Pam Akers, seconded by Denise Collins to approve revised maintenance agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation related to the replacement of the S. 92nd Street bridge over I-894. Motion carried unanimously. 9. Discussion and decision to adopt an ordinance amending Section 8.04 of the Greenfield Municipal Code by repealing Ordinance 2885 regarding a handicap parking zone in front of the property at 4657 S. 49th Street. Mr. Karz said Ordinance 2885 created a handicapped parking zone in front of 4657 S. 49th Street in 2017. A representative of the property owner contacted Greenfield to inform the City that the handicapped signage can be removed. Motion by Alderperson Pam Akers, seconded by Denise Collins to adopt an Ordinance amending Section 8.04 of the Greenfield Municipal Code by repealing Ordinance 2885 regarding a handicap parking zone in front of the property at 4657 S. 49th St. Motion carried unanimously. Minutes are not official until formally approved by the Board of Public Works at the next scheduled meeting. Page 4 of 6 10. Superintendent of Public Works report Mr. Esch reported that DPW crews have started removing light poles ahead of the contractor installation of new light poles on Edgerton Ave and Loomis Road to 76th Street. They will also remove lights on Grange Ave from 27th Street to 48th Street and new lights will be installed. The 68th Street lighting project continues. There are 13 light poles installed and 8 that will be installed soon. DPW crews pruned 1,980 trees. Public Works will be doing some utility work at The Turf Shelter project and doing some removal work at Jansen Park for the pickleball project. They have also started work at Konkel Park/ We are installing a fence enclosure on the south side of the maintenance garage, installing concrete pads and benches around the pond, and planter beds around the new signs at Konkel and Haker Parks. Spring Leaf pick-up started Monday, April 6th and completed within a week. Any leaves put out after crews have gone by will need to be put in the yard waster for pick-up or dropped off at the Drop Off Center. Public Works processed 320 Diggers Hotline tickets and 186 service requests. 11. Engineering Report Mr. Haas provided an update on Greenfield construction projects. 1. Dredging and reshaping the storm water pond at Pondview Park is in a winter shutdown. Work is expected to restart in the next several weeks. The pond work is nearly complete. The path around the pond will be reconstructed and the site landscaped. 2. The sanitary sewer extension between 92nd St and 99th St is complete except for final asphalt restoration of 92nd St. That will occur once the weather warms up, expected in late April or May. 3. Street light upgrades on Grange Ave and Edgerton Ave are beginning. The existing lights will begin to be removed this week. New ones will be installed in the next month. During that time there will be no operational street lights. This work is being partially funded by a grant. 4. DPW is upgrading street lights on 68th St and 27th St this year. The LED fixtures Minutes are not official until formally approved by the Board of Public Works at the next scheduled meeting. Page 5 of 6 on 68th St were paid for by a grant. 5. Phase 2 of the 31st/Holmes Resurfacing project will occur this year. The start date may be in late April or early May and last into July. 6. 90th St and Plainfield Ave Neighborhood Reconstruction Phase 1 will begin next week and last through July. 7. Layton Ave Reconstruction between 60th St and 68th St has started this week. The current traffic configuration will last about 2 weeks before a full traffic shift occurs. This will also include a full closure of the north half of the 68th St intersection. Construction will last until November. 8. Box culvert replacement on Howard Ave between 27th St and Loomis Rd will begin in June with a full road closure. It’s expected to last until November. Utilities have started to relocate their facilities with various lane closures. 9. The Powerline Trail Phase 3 will be constructed this year which includes a pedestrian bridge over the Root River. Some tree clearing will occur in the next couple of weeks but the main construction won’t begin until June. 10. The Turf shelter and parking lot will be constructed this year. The shelter construction will begin within the next several weeks. 11. This spring after the election, the skylights will be replaced at City Hall. Mr. Haas provided an update on other agency projects: 1. WisDOT will be completing the Forest Home Ave and noise wall projects in the Minutes are not official until formally approved by the Board of Public Works at the next scheduled meeting. Page 6 of 6 first half of this year. 2. WisDOT will be resurfacing 27th St between Bottsford Ave and Howard Ave. 3. Milwaukee County will be upgrading the traffic signals at 84th St and Layton Ave. 12. Other topics for future agendas Speeding and reckless driving on Edgerton Avenue. 13. Adjournment Motion by Alderperson Pam Akers, seconded by John Graber to adjourn at 7:36PM. Motion carried unanimously. Minutes transcribed by Stefanie Richter, Administrative Assistant, Engineering, Distributed: 4/17/26