Highway Committee Meeting — Minutes

Meeting Minutes HIGHWAY COMMITTEE TUESDAY, September 8th, 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 and Hayden present. 3) Approval of meeting minutes: - Motion by Livingston, second by Polyock motioned to approve the minutes from August 4, 2026, meeting. Motion Carried 4) Comments from the public: - Matt Loudenbeck, a resident, was present on the agenda to discuss his driveway paving request. The committee agreed to address his item first. - No attendees online. 5) a. Highway Profit & Loss Statements - August 2026 - David Zimmerman presented the August P&L. He noted the public works budget is approximately 63-64% through the year, which is on track. Matt Wittum noted that the culvert and drainage line item will go over budget this year, but other items will be under. Mr. Polyock asked about the highway engineering budget, noting only 30% had been used. It was clarified that the Hillside Bridge design costs were included in that line item. - Action: Motion by Jim Livingston, second by Charles Handel, to approve the P&L. All in favor (Aye). Motion carried. b. Monthly Highway Report - Highway Superintendent Matt Wittum provided the report. Jim Livingston noted that the department has received compliments from the public on the recent shouldering work. Mr. Polyock observed that the Town of Delvin uses an efficient method for shouldering, using a snowplow with a shoe to smooth and pack the material. c. Monthly Vehicle Maintenance Report – August 2026 - Highway Superintendent Matt Wittum clarified a recurring question from the previous meeting about vehicle inspections at Ford. He explained that an inspection is automatically performed with any service visit, but it is not a separate charge. The report incorrectly listed it as a line item. He also noted that the $30.45 charge for an oil leak on Truck 10 was inaccurate; the actual cost was under $1,000. - Mr. Polyock questioned the $1,850 cost to repair the broom, and Matt Wittum explained that all bristles were replaced and a crushed end was welded. d. Proposed FY27 Highway Budget - Recommend to Town Board e. Proposed FY27 Highway Capital Budget - Recommend to Town Board (d & e were discussed together) - Highway Superintendent Matt Wittum presented the proposed FY27 budget. The operating budget is largely unchanged. The capital budget includes a $1.4 million request for resurfacing, which covers Zenda Road, the Town's portion of State Line Road, Woodstone Subdivision, and Maple Hills. Mr. Wittum explained that the federal share for Zenda Road is a capped amount, and the Town is responsible for costs above that. A lengthy discussion ensued regarding the paving plan. - Allan Polyock argued that roads like Maple Hills and Highlands receive little traffic and should be put on the "far back burner" so that funds can be directed to roads like Woodstone that have been problematic for years. - Jim Livingston noted that while the $1.4 million figure seems like a large increase, it is offset by the completion of the Hillside Bridge project, which was a $450,000 expense in the current year. - Matt Wittum reiterated that these are projections and the final scope of work will be determined after bids are received next year. - Action: Motion by Jim Livingston, second by Charles Handel, to recommend the FY27 Highway Budget and Capital Budget to the Town Board as presented. All in favor (Aye). Motion carried. f. After-the-Fact Permit Fees, N1534 Hardwood - Highway Superintendent Matt Wittum reported that a homeowner on Academy Road had concrete work done and needed an after-the-fact permit. The standard fee is $50, but the homeowner has been unresponsive and difficult to work with. Mr. Wittum recommended charging $100. - Action: Motion by Livingston, second by Handel, to charge a $100 after-the-fact permit fee. All in favor (Aye). Motion carried. g. Asphalt Patch Work / Fire Department Apron - Payne and Dolan - Highway Superintendent Matt Wittum requested approval to spend $75,000 from the patching budget to have Payne and Dolan complete outstanding patchwork while they are in the area for the Lackey Lane project. He also noted that the Fire Department apron was bid at $19,000 in a previous year but not done. The committee suggested asking Payne and Dolan to provide a better price for the apron since they will already have equipment and materials nearby. - Action: Motion by Livingston, second by Polyock, to approve the $75,000 for patchwork with Payne and Dolan. All in favor (Aye). Motion carried. The committee directed Matt Wittum to negotiate the Fire Department apron work with the contractor. h. Additional Paving Work Request - Loudenbeck Driveway - The committee discussed a request from Matt Loudenbeck for additional paving on his driveway. The driveway was part of the Hillside Bridge project, which had significantly changed the driveway's grade and elevation. The Town Board had previously approved up to $20,000 for slope work, which was completed. The current request was for an additional 3,000 square feet of asphalt at a cost of $21,050. - Mr. Loudenbeck described the significant disruption his dairy farm experienced during construction, including blocked driveways, trucks turning around, and the use of his water supply. - Action: Motion by Allan Polyock, second by Corey Hayden, to recommend to the Town Board approval of the $21,050 for additional paving on the Loudenbeck driveway. Vote: Aye 3. Nay. Motion carried (3-1). i. CAT Bobcat Repairs - Update and Recommend to Town Board - Matt Wittum provided an update on the Cat skid steer repairs. The cost for parts and labor from the Cat dealer was approximately $27,000, which is over the $20,000 limit previously authorized by the Town Board. The committee discussed alternative options, including using aftermarket parts and having a private mechanic (Dennis) do the work, which would cost approximately $26,000. Mr. Polyock expressed frustration with the escalating costs and the complexity of the repair. - Action: Motion by Polyock, second by Livingston, to table the decision until Matt Wittum can obtain additional quotes from other vendors, as the cost exceeds the threshold requiring a more formal bidding process. All in favor (Aye). Motion carried. h. Project Updates - August 2026 - Hillside Bridge: The project is planned to be complete September 4. - Lackey Lane: The gas utility relocation is complete, and resurfacing is expected to begin soon. - Zenda Road: Final plans have been signed off, and the project is scheduled for next year. - Armsby Road: The project is expected to begin within the month. 7) Adjournment - Date for next meeting: October 8, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. - Motion by Polyock, second by Livingston to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:15 PM. Minutes by Administrator/Treasurer - David Zimmerman