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Record of Proceedings

Fitchburg Board of Public Works Meeting - October 19, 2026

Common Council & City Boards — Monday, October 19, 2026
BodyFitchburg, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council & City Boards
DateMonday, October 19, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Speaker 1

0:00

Stay connected everywhere you go.

0:03

Fitchburg is on your phone and your tablet and your laptop and TV.

0:08

Download the app.

0:09

It's free.

0:11

Access Fitchburg.

0:12

This is your city at your fingertips.

Speaker 2

0:29

Hi, I'm Jeremy Frogby.

0:31

And I'm Nick Boucher.

0:32

We're your host for the program that's all about your city.

0:34

Talking Fitchburg.

Speaker 3

0:36

Every weekday, we pull together the news, events, and information you need to stay on top of what's happening in the city of Fitchburg.

Speaker 2

0:42

Find Talking Fitchburg on Cable TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and our live stream on the web.

0:48

Plus, you can find all our headlines and stories.

Unassigned speaker

1:00

It's

Speaker 4

1:01

5 30 p.m.

1:02

on October 19th, 2026.

1:05

I'm calling this meeting of the Fitchburg Board of Public Works to order.

1:10

First item on the agenda here is roll call.

1:13

We have uh four out of five of us today.

1:15

We've got Kim and Don, and we've got uh myself, Walder Jetzer, and uh Dave Herbst is remote.

1:23

Uh excused with absence or absence excuse Dave Wilburn.

1:29

Moving on to public appearances for non-agenda items.

1:32

I see nobody in chambers and nobody online.

1:35

So we'll skip ahead to the approval of the October 5th, 2026 meeting minutes.

1:40

Who will bring a motion to do that?

Speaker 5

1:42

I'll move approval of the April 5th meeting minutes.

Speaker 4

1:46

Oh second.

1:47

Thank you.

1:49

Any commentary on that?

1:51

I will just ask that uh we correct the start time of the meeting.

1:56

It was 5:30, not 6 30.

Speaker 5

2:00

We finished before we started.

Speaker 4

2:04

Now that is a fast meeting.

Unassigned speaker

2:10

All

Speaker 4

2:10

right, all in favor of the meeting minutes with that one amendment, say aye.

2:16

Aye.

2:17

It is unanimous.

2:19

Moving on, report from the director of public works.

2:23

Take it away, Tim.

Speaker 3

2:24

Good evening.

2:25

A couple general items to start tonight's meeting.

2:28

Fitchburg's fall recycling day is scheduled for this Saturday, October 24th from 8 to 11 a.m.

2:36

at the city campus here at 5520 Lacey Road.

2:41

So residents can bring confidential paper for shredding, which is limited to three paper grocery bags of paper per household and any electronic items for recycling.

2:54

And then just a note, some electronic items may have a recycling fee.

2:59

And then medication disposal is not available at this event.

3:05

Secondly, the city of Fitchburg will be conducting our fall water main flushing program.

3:11

We were hoping to start this week and run through November 20th.

3:15

However, uh right now the Camp Badger Reservoir is down for some piping repairs and ladder work.

3:23

So we're looking to hopefully start that the first week of November.

3:28

So just wanted to note that during flushing residents may notice a temporary discoloration or cloudy water from their faucets.

3:37

So if a resident's water is discolored, we recommend running a cold water tap for several minutes until the water runs clear.

3:47

We recommend avoid doing laundry until the water has cleared to prevent possible staining.

3:52

And then if the water does not clear after several minutes, they can contact the city for assistance, and we can come out and take a look.

4:01

Sometimes the around the meter is uh where it can kind of get clogged.

4:09

So we can come out, take a look at that, and they can just call 608-270-420 if that uh discoloration stays after several minutes.

4:22

And then last general item for the evening: the city of Fitchburg has been awarded 1,692,710 in federal construction funding through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's 2026-2031.

4:40

Surface Transportation program, uh urban for Improvements to Irish Lane.

Unassigned speaker

4:47

The proposed project will improve approximately 1.6 miles of Irish Lane between South Fish Hatchery Road and South Syene Road, where we would address deteriorating pavement conditions while adding bicycle lanes to improve connectivity along the corridor.

Speaker 3

5:06

And really the next step in the process would be to execute the state municipal agreement.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Works█████████████████████████████████████37%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████████████████████████34%
Procurement███████7%
Public Transportation██████6%
Public Engagement█████5%
Procedural█████5%
Transportation Safety███3%
Legal Affairs███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Fitchburg Board of Public Works Meeting - October 19, 2026

The Fitchburg Board of Public Works met on October 19, 2026, at 5:30 PM. The board approved several resolutions, including funding revisions for a pedestrian underpass, subdivision improvements, and a collateral assignment. The meeting also included updates from the Director of Public Works on fall recycling, water main flushing, and a major federal grant for Irish Lane improvements. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes (October 5, 2026): Approved unanimously with an amendment correcting the start time from 6:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made, either in person or online.

Discussion Items

  • Director of Public Works Report (Tim):

    • Fall Recycling Day: Scheduled for Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 8-11 AM at 5520 Lacey Road. Residents may bring confidential paper (limit 3 grocery bags per household) and electronics (some fees may apply). Medication disposal not available.
    • Water Main Flushing: Originally planned to start this week through November 20, but delayed due to repairs at Camp Badger Reservoir. Expected to begin first week of November. Residents may experience temporary discolored water; advice to run cold tap and avoid laundry until clear. Contact 608-270-420 if discoloration persists.
    • Irish Lane Funding: City awarded $1,692,710 in federal construction funding through WisDOT's 2026-2031 Surface Transportation Program for improvements to Irish Lane (1.6 miles between S. Fish Hatchery Rd and S. Syene Rd), including pavement rehabilitation and bicycle lanes. Next step: execute state-municipal agreement.
    • Project Updates:
      • Wayland Road Pave Shoulder project: contractor finishing mailbox installation and small restoration; walkthrough scheduled for next week.
      • 2026 street resurfacing: Tower Hill remaining; Bellmar neighborhood paving to be completed this week (part of 2025 ARPA project).
      • 2026 sidewalk replacement: final assessment hearing on November 2, 2026 agenda.
    • Q&A:
      • Board member asked about leaf pile-up at drop-off site; Tim agreed to monitor.
      • Clarification on Bellmar completion: paving expected this week.
      • Street sweeping to occur prior to flushing.
      • Wayland Road expected to open this week or early next.
      • Inquiry about Russian diesel in city fuel: supplier reported diesel from Chicago terminal; board member noted likely Canadian crude, not Russian.

  • Action Item 6A – Postponement of Resolution R-178-26:

    • Resolution approving agreement for subdivision improvements for CESTA plat postponed to date uncertain because developer not ready. Motion by Don, second by Kim. Unanimous.

  • Action Item 6B – Resolution R-198-26 (County MM Pedestrian Underpass):

    • Approved revision to state-municipal agreement updating federal funding percentage from 60% to 80% for construction of the bike/pedestrian underpass under County Highway MM. Federal funding remains $432,000. The change allows eligibility for additional funding if available. Design is 100% locally funded. Board discussed at-grade crossings; underpass chosen for safety and grade constraints. Motion by Kim, second by Don. Unanimous.

  • Action Item 6C – Resolution R-199-26 (High Field Reserve Phase 6):

    • Accepted subdivision improvements for Phase 6 (lots 145-161, 99-108, outlots 10, 11, portions of 7 and 12). City engineer inspected and conditionally approved; punch list items addressed. Lien waivers pending but expected before next council meeting. Motion by Don, second by Dave. Unanimous.

  • Action Item 6D – Resolution R-204-26 (Terra Vesa Fifth Edition Collateral Assignment):

    • Approved collateral assignment of subdivision improvement agreement to One Community Bank as condition of developer's loan. The assignment does not put city at financial risk; only requires city to notify bank if developer defaults. Similar approvals for prior four phases. Motion by Kim, second by Don. Unanimous.

  • Action Item 6E – Resolution R-131-26 (Maple Lawn Heights / City on a Hill / Bowman Plaza):

    • Approved agreement for subdivision improvements on Lot 29 of Maple Lawn Heights and Lot 2 of CSM 555 (Bowman Plaza). The CSM divides lots for a church (City on a Hill) and a 252-unit multifamily development (Bowman Plaza). Discussion included:
      • Turn Lane Phasing: The left-turn lane on Fish Hatchery Road and southern driveway to Lot 1 will be constructed in Phase 2 (Bowman Plaza) even though Lot 1 is Phase 1. Existing left-turn lane does not align; Phase 1 access via Ochalla and easement through Kelly's Market.
      • Parkland Dedication: No on-site park proposed for 252 dwelling units. Board noted proximity to Hostahochi Park and Community Center, but crossing Post Road (5 lanes) was a concern. Parkland fee of $1,091,160 (based on 252 units at 2,900 sq ft per unit) is included. Minor text errors in document noted (square footage should be 730,800).
      • Pedestrian Connectivity: No dedicated path to connect to existing bike/pedestrian infrastructure; developer expressed unwillingness to coordinate with adjacent property owner for a trail to bus stop. Board expressed concern but approved.
    • Motion by Dave, second by Don. Unanimous.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous Approvals:
    • Minutes of October 5, 2026 (with amendment).
    • Postponement of Resolution R-178-26 to date uncertain.
    • Resolution R-198-26 (County MM underpass funding revision).
    • Resolution R-199-26 (High Field Reserve Phase 6 improvements).
    • Resolution R-204-26 (Terra Vesa collateral assignment).
    • Resolution R-131-26 (Maple Lawn Heights/City on a Hill/Bowman Plaza improvements).
  • Next Meeting: Monday, November 2, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
  • Announcement: Comprehensive plan kickoff open house on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 5-7 PM at Hostahochi.
  • Adjournment: 6:17 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Stay connected everywhere you go. Fitchburg is on your phone and your tablet and your laptop and TV. Download the app. It's free. Access Fitchburg. This is your city at your fingertips. Hi, I'm Jeremy Frogby. And I'm Nick Boucher. We're your host for the program that's all about your city. Talking Fitchburg. Every weekday, we pull together the news, events, and information you need to stay on top of what's happening in the city of Fitchburg. Find Talking Fitchburg on Cable TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV, and our live stream on the web. Plus, you can find all our headlines and stories. It's 5 30 p.m. on October 19th, 2026. I'm calling this meeting of the Fitchburg Board of Public Works to order. First item on the agenda here is roll call. We have uh four out of five of us today. We've got Kim and Don, and we've got uh myself, Walder Jetzer, and uh Dave Herbst is remote. Uh excused with absence or absence excuse Dave Wilburn. Moving on to public appearances for non-agenda items. I see nobody in chambers and nobody online. So we'll skip ahead to the approval of the October 5th, 2026 meeting minutes. Who will bring a motion to do that? I'll move approval of the April 5th meeting minutes. Oh second. Thank you. Any commentary on that? I will just ask that uh we correct the start time of the meeting. It was 5:30, not 6 30. We finished before we started. Now that is a fast meeting. All right, all in favor of the meeting minutes with that one amendment, say aye. Aye. It is unanimous. Moving on, report from the director of public works. Take it away, Tim. Good evening. A couple general items to start tonight's meeting. Fitchburg's fall recycling day is scheduled for this Saturday, October 24th from 8 to 11 a.m. at the city campus here at 5520 Lacey Road. So residents can bring confidential paper for shredding, which is limited to three paper grocery bags of paper per household and any electronic items for recycling. And then just a note, some electronic items may have a recycling fee. And then medication disposal is not available at this event. Secondly, the city of Fitchburg will be conducting our fall water main flushing program. We were hoping to start this week and run through November 20th. However, uh right now the Camp Badger Reservoir is down for some piping repairs and ladder work. So we're looking to hopefully start that the first week of November.

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