Waukesha Water Commission Meeting Summary - January 15, 2026
Waukesha Water Commission Meeting Summary - January 15, 2026
The Waukesha Water Commission held its regular meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Water Utility Conference Room. Six commissioners were present (Joan Francoeur, Jeff Fowle, Joe Piatt, Dale Matthews, Shawn Reilly, and Peter Bartels), with Gerald Couri absent. The meeting covered approvals of routine financial items, a change order for the new operations center, and updates on litigation, infrastructure projects, water consumption trends, and operations center construction.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public attended the meeting in person or submitted correspondence. The public comment period was closed without input.
Discussion Items
- Pending Litigation & GM Transition: Commissioners were informed that depositions are ongoing in the utility's lawsuit. The commission is awaiting a summary judgment ruling from the presiding judge, which will establish a trial schedule. The utility noted that the General Manager succession process will not advance substantially until the legal landscape is clearer.
- Operations Center Construction Status: The steel frame for the office section is complete, and roof decking installation is underway. Masonry walls for interior rooms and precast panels for the upper mechanical mezzanine are progressing. Water lines have passed pressure tests; a bacteriological sample is pending. Windows are being installed on the rear facade. The project schedule targets completion in late October 2026. The utility is also completing final furniture selections.
- Field Operations & Infrastructure: The utility experienced three water main disruptions since the December meeting. The hydrant and valve testing program continues. The Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) replacement project at pumping stations has started. Design is underway for water mains related to the 2026 road resurfacing projects.
- Regulatory & Administrative Updates: The Public Service Commission (PSC) has submitted questions regarding the pending rate case. An extension to respond was requested due to year-end processing and staff training. External auditors are scheduled for an on-site visit from March 11 to March 13. Work on the water diversion report required for the Milwaukee water agreement continues.
Financial & Performance Reporting
- 2025 Water Consumption: Consumption for 2025 ended 2.5% higher than budget projections. December consumption was elevated partly because half the city was billed for an additional two days. Commercial consumption exceeded budget by approximately 28 million gallons, attributed to the post-COVID economic recovery and a temporary cooling tower malfunction at a large customer facility (now repaired).
- December 2025 Financials: The utility ended the month with $50 million in cash, up from $48.1 million at the start of the month, following a $2.1 million draw on the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan for the operations center. All 2025 transmission and distribution improvement projects are complete, except for Arrowhead Trail (delayed pending an eminent domain easement) and Highway 59 (a two-year project; the 2025 phase is finished). The 2026 construction project list will be presented at the February commission meeting. The WIFIA loan for the operations center is a 38-year loan with an average interest rate of 1.16%.
Key Outcomes (Decisions & Votes)
- December 2025 Meeting Minutes: Approved unanimously (6-0).
- December Voucher Lists (Payments): Vouchers from the General Fund and Improvement Fund were approved unanimously (6-0). The voucher list included a $774,050 Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to the City of Waukesha, the first of three such payments for 2026. Commissioner Shawn Reilly commented that the PILOT amount may not be sufficient, prompting discussion.
- Designation of 2026 Depositories: Waukesha State Bank (including its investment branch, Waukesha Investments), JP Morgan Chase Bank, and the State of Wisconsin Local Government Investment Pool were approved as official depositories for 2026. The designation is non-exclusive; the commission may approve additional depositories during the year if advantageous terms arise. Approved unanimously (6-0).
- Operations Center Change Order: A $37,930.22 change order to Miron Construction for re-grading the site pond (to meet stormwater capacity requirements) and installing a loading dock leveler was approved unanimously (6-0). The cost is covered by the project's existing contingency and allowance funds, which currently hold approximately $160,000 from project credits (including an $80,000 credit on roof trusses).
Meeting Transcript
Green. All right, welcome. It is uh 6 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, 2026. This is the regularly scheduled Waukesha Water Utility Commission meeting. I would like to call it to order. Uh roll call, please. Commissioner Francour? Here. Commissioner Fowell? Here. Commissioner Curry. Absent. Commissioner Pyatt. Here. Commissioner Matthews? Here. Commissioner Riley? Here. Commissioner Bartells. Here. We have a quorum. Excellent. Thank you for confirming. All right. Let's move on to public comments. There is no one in the room physically. Any emails or messages that we should be aware of? I do not have any any correspondence from customers. Okay. Thank you. So there's no public comment. We'll move on to approval of the minutes. Um can I get a motion and a second to approve the minutes from December of 2025? Move to approve. Second it's a motion and a second. All right. Any um questions or comments about the minutes from uh 121825. Hearing none, all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed. Abstain. Okay. Unanimous approval for the minutes. So we'll now move on to action items, action item 5A. Approved payments from the general fund and the improvement fund. So we have Riley and Bartell's motion and a second. Okay. Commissioners, um questions or comments on the vouchers.
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