Highway Committee — Minutes

Meeting Minutes HIGHWAY COMMITTEE TUESDAY, August 4th, 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 present. Handel – excused. Hayden - excused. 3) Approval of meeting minutes: - Motion by Livingston, second by Polyock motioned to approve the minutes from July 7, 2026, meeting. Motion Carried 4) Comments from the public: - Zimmerman confirmed there were no attendees online. No members of the public were present to comment. 5) a. Highway Profit & Loss Statements - July 2026 - The committee reviewed the Highway Profit & Loss statements. Mr. Polyock inquired about the highway shoulder work budget, noting that while $30,000 was budgeted, only $6,092 had been spent so far, but he knew $28,000 had been spent on Bissell. The discussion clarified this was likely part of the previous year's paving contract. Mr. Polyock also noted that repairs and maintenance were significantly over budget (120%), which was attributed to a large, unexpected $30,000 repair on the John Deere tractor at the beginning of the year. Chair Palmer noted that the Zenda Road area appears to need shoulder work. - Action: No formal motion. The report was accepted as presented. b. Monthly Highway Report - David Zimmerman noted that the committee had received a memo from Superintendent Matt Wittum concerning the culvert request at W3805 Parker Drive. c. Monthly Vehicle Maintenance Report – July 2026 - Mr. Polyock questioned the recurring cost of vehicle inspections at Ford, suggesting that each visit seems to cost $1,100-$1,200. It was noted that the report likely includes an oil change, but the committee agreed that more detail was needed to understand the scope of the inspections and if they were driven by issues like an engine light. d. W3805 Parker Drive Water Problem - The committee discussed a request from a property owner to install a culvert to address water pooling. Jim Livingston noted that the current four-inch drain is insufficient and calculated that a recent 7-inch rain event produced 2,000 gallons of water just from the driveway. Mr. Polyock stated that the water is not the Town's problem and argued the property owner should install a larger drain or catch basin at the top or in front of his garage to divert the water. The committee agreed with Superintendent Wittum's assessment that a Town-installed culvert would create an unsightly ditch and not solve the root cause, as the driveway itself would still flood the garage. - Motion by Polyock, second by Livingston to recommend to no pursue a culvert or open ditch for the property. Motion carried. The committee also agreed to recommend the property owner install a larger drain on his own property. e. Parts Purchase for Cat Skid Steer - Zimmerman presented the request for parts to repair the Cat Skid Steer's undercarriage, including new tracks and rollers. The total for parts was approximately $13,800. - The committee discussed the feasibility of doing the work in-house versus sending it out. Mr. Polyock noted that while the work is "just nuts and bolts," he doubted the current crew has the capability to perform such an intricate repair. He suggested using aftermarket parts to cut costs. - Chair Palmer suggested looking into an alternative, fully assembled track system (like VTS) that bolts directly onto the hubs, which would reduce labor significantly and potentially cost less than purchasing individual parts. The committee agreed this alternative was worth researching. - Motion by Livingston, second by Polyock to recommend to the Town Board to authorize spending up to $15,000 to repair and put new tracks on the Cat skid steer. This would allow the Superintendent to proceed with an alternative assembled system if it is under budget, or to approve the current repair with labor. If the total exceeds $15,000, he must return to the committee for approval. Motion carried. f. South Lakeshore Drive Drainage Bids - Zimmerman reported that no bids were received for the initial project. The engineer (Dan Lynch) had surveyed contractors and found they were uncomfortable with the cost of supplies (concrete pipe) and the design, which required costly cast-in-place retaining walls. The engineer proposed an updated plan using a pre-fabricated 4-foot by 4-foot box culvert. This eliminates the need for new retaining walls and is estimated to save approximately $19,000. - The committee discussed the merits of the box culvert, noting that it is a pre- fabricated drop-in piece, making it simpler for contractors. It was also clarified that the project only requires removing a section of the existing north retaining wall where the new culvert will go. - Motioned by Livingston, second by Polyock to recommend to Town Board to rebid the South Shore Drive culvert replacement project with the revised plans, using the box culvert as specified by the Town Engineer. Motion carried. g. Project Updates - August 2026 - Hillside Bridge: The anticipated opening date is September 4. The committee discussed holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of this major project. The new railings were noted as being very substantial and similar to the Mohawk Bridge design, which allows snow to blow through. - Zenda Road: Final plans have been signed off. The project is scheduled for next year with one more public hearing expected. - Lackey Lane: Gas utility relocation is complete, allowing the resurfacing project to finally proceed this year. A recent incident with a garbage truck leaking hydraulic fluid down the road created a mess. - Armsby Road: The project is expected to begin this month after a one-month backlog for the contractor. The superintendent has met with a resident (Mr. Stricker) to discuss potential impacts to his property. - Highway Mowing: Mr. Polyock complimented the mowing crew (specifically "Dan") for doing a very good job, noting they are catching up after being delayed by other repairs and storms. 7) Adjournment - Date for next meeting: September 8, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. - Motion by Polyock, second by Livingston to adjourn. Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 6:43 PM. Minutes by Administrator/Treasurer - David Zimmerman