Fitchburg Board of Public Works Meeting – April 20, 2026

The Fitchburg Board of Public Works met on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 6:28 PM in the Francis Huntley Cooper Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order with a full quorum present: Chair (unnamed), Don, Alder Jetzer, Dave Wilburn, and Kim Lobdell. The board reviewed the Director of Public Works report, considered an ordinance amending procurement thresholds, and approved several resolutions for utility and facility projects.

Director of Public Works Report

Director Tim Volker provided administrative and project updates:

• The next Board of Public Works meeting on May 4, 2026, will include a presentation by Eric Dundee from the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District.
• A new GIS-based interactive map for road closures is available on the city's website, with plans to automatically update Apple Maps and Google Maps for real-time rerouting.
• Spring hydrant flushing began April 13 and will continue through May 15, 2026; discolored water may occur but is harmless.
• Prescribed burns are nearly complete: Heartland completed spring burns and will return for fall medians; Field and Stream has one burn remaining at Harlan Hills East Pond.
• Project updates: public information meeting for the 2026 street resurfacing project on April 23, 2026; sidewalk replacement project bids open April 30, 2026; Basswood Drive cul-de-sac conversion road closure starts the first week of May; Belmar and Tower Hill Utility Improvement Project (contract on agenda); water tower painting starting soon.
• Questions addressed road closure notifications; the system sends emails to emergency services, school districts, and news outlets, but consistency with the city's Notify Me system will be checked.

Ordinance 2026‑0‑11: Purchasing and Public Works Contract Thresholds

Misty from the City Attorney's office presented the ordinance to align local code with new state law. Effective immediately, for non‑highway public construction, the notification threshold increases to $10,000 and the public bid threshold to $50,000 (from $5,000 and $25,000). For non‑public construction, the threshold for requiring bids or RFPs increases from $25,000 to $50,000. Highway projects remain unchanged. Board members clarified definitions and appreciated staff's quick action. The ordinance passed by unanimous voice vote.

Resolution R‑94‑26: Belmar and Tower Hill Utility Improvement Bid

The board accepted a bid from Speedway Sand and Gravel for approximately $2.3–$2.4 million to upsize and replace water mains and stormwater infrastructure. Key details:

• $315,000 of the stormwater work will be funded by a federal grant (Tammy Baldwin funds from 2022).
• A friendly amendment corrected a funding source in the resolution from fund 604 to 602.
• The Aztec Street water main was removed from the project due to sufficient remaining life; the director noted the cast iron pipes were installed in the 1960s and have had few breaks.
• Board members expressed concerns about Speedway's restoration performance on past projects; Director Volker agreed to emphasize cleanup and safety requirements.
• The project will be split: Speedway will install underground utilities first, then Payne and Dolan will repave the streets. The resolution passed unanimously.

Resolution R‑93‑26: Police Storage Building Roof Replacement

The board authorized replacing the roof and gutters on the police storage building using a 60‑mil unbacked EPDM membrane with 1.5 inches of insulation over the existing roof. Total cost: $68,000. The existing roof will remain to avoid exposing stored evidence. Board members questioned the choice of membrane on a pitched roof; staff explained it was chosen to avoid opening the roof and because the contractor (from Wheaton, Illinois with references from UW‑Madison) provided a competitive bid. The building will be retained after the new police station is built. The resolution passed unanimously.

Resolution R‑75‑26: Underground Electric Easement to MGE

The board granted an underground electric easement to Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) on the property at 4974 Lacey Road (corrected from the originally stated 5974) to power the water tower. The easement allows installation of underground cable, a transformer, and metering, estimated at $100,000. Board members noted the easement language allows for future above-ground installations if needed. The address error will be corrected before council action. The resolution passed unanimously.

Resolution R‑84‑26: Release of Utility Easement

The board released a public utility easement on Outlaw 40 and Terra Vesa that was inadvertently recorded within the Lacey Road right‑of‑way. The easement is not needed because it lies in the road right‑of‑way; other utilities will also unrecord their easements. Six‑foot utility easements on adjacent private lots remain in effect. The resolution passed unanimously.

Resolution R‑88‑26: Fitch Rona Engineering Services Amendment (Amendment 3)

The board approved a third amendment to the engineering services agreement for the Fitch Rona Road project. Design changes resulted from property acquisition challenges, including removing paths around the roundabout. The project is now phased: Phase 1 (2026) from Nesbitt Road south to Cory Vista Drive, Phase 2 (2027) from Cory Vista Drive south to Tonto. Additional costs cover coordination, phasing, and final monumentation. The city and Town of Verona received a $2.7 million grant for the project; cost‑sharing negotiations are ongoing. The resolution passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Approvals: All resolutions and the ordinance passed by unanimous voice vote.
• Minutes approved: The April 6, 2026 meeting minutes were approved unanimously.
• Next meeting: Monday, May 4, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
• Chair transition: The Chair (name not disclosed) announced this as his last meeting as chair; Alder Jetzer will assume the chair at the next meeting.
• No public comments were made.