All right, welcome everybody.

It's uh 6 p.m.

Thursday, July 16th, 2026.

This is the regularly scheduled City of Waukeshaw uh water utility commission meeting.

Uh let's call me into order.

Uh roll call, please.

Commissioner Frank Core here.

Commissioner Fowell.

Here.

Commissioner Curry.

Absent.

Commissioner Pyatt.

Here.

Commissioner Matthews.

Absent.

Commissioner Bartels.

Absent.

Commissioner Holvin Slavon.

Here.

We have a quorum.

All right.

Excellent.

I would like to make an announcement.

Uh announcement of a closed session pursuant to Wisconsin statute 19.85 sub one sub-C.

A motion will be made to convene and close session pursuant to Wisconsin statute 19.85 sub one sub-C to consider employment promotion compensation or performance evaluation data of the general manager position over which the government full body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility.

So we'll agree convene later.

Public comments.

I deny everything.

Okay, excellent.

Let's move on to then approval of minutes.

So moved.

Second.

All right.

Van Core and Halvensleben.

That was very good.

Yeah.

Practice with my uh I've started doing German Duolingo, just so there you go.

Okay.

Okay.

Um any questions or comments on the minutes?

All right, hearing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, abstain.

Passes unanimously.

All right, thank you, Ellie.

All right, that moves us into action items.

Uh action item uh 5A is approved payments from the general fund and the improvement fund.

Courtney, anything of note?

A motion.

Oh, yeah, it's right in the emotion.

I'm sorry.

I'll make a motion to approve.

All right.

Second.

All right.

Um there is nothing special on here to know.

All right.

Commissioners, any questions on uh some of our like bills from our construction projects.

All right.

Oh, I guess I have one.

Yeah, sure.

Um, maybe it's for Cal.

The UW park site bill.

I mean, at one time I know we discussed that they may uh be getting out of that business.

Is this like for is this uh annual payment or is this a monthly charge or it's mostly monthly?

There's some months that they don't do the sampling.

Okay, so they don't they're not required to do it every month.

No, it in the middle of winter they they don't really do that.

Okay, um there has not been any recent talk of them getting out of the business.

Okay, as a matter of fact, they're um we're currently working with them to possibly do additional testing as it relates to the disinfection study that we need to do as part of return calls.

Okay, thanks.

That is invoiced to the city each that goes to the city, yeah.

Thank you, Claudia.

All right, other questions.

All right, oh hearing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye opposed, abstain.

This is unanimously.

All right, brings us to action item 5b.

Approve the classification and compensation study to Cottingham and Butler in an amount not to exceed $20,000.

So moved.

Yes, second for Frank Court.

All right.

So the utility recently solicited uh requests for proposals or RFPs to conduct a classification and compensation study.

Um this study formally has not been done in several years here.

Um and so the objectives are to ensure job classifications are market aligned.

Um we also want to review and update all of our job descriptions, making sure that everything is up to date with all of the standards and and legal items, as well as making sure that uh the titles and the descriptions match the positions we have currently, and also to evaluate and refine the utilities overall compensation strategy.

So we had two um vendors that responded to our request for proposal, and that was Cottingham and Butler and MRA.

And both um RFPs were very similar in nature.

Both of them were um complete and looked like they both could do the job very well.

We felt that Cottingham and Butler had one slight advantage.

They seemed to have a little bit more data based on benefits for the public sector than MRA did.

MRA was going to use some of Cottingham and Butler's information, and also we're gonna have to do a much broader um lookout to other customers to get information back.

And so we with that, um, and um I also contacted um all of their references for Cottingham and Butler, and everyone was very satisfied and very happy with their work.

Um, they all had rave reviews um from them, and so because of that, um, we are asking to approve the classification and compensation study to Cottingham and Butler in the amount that's not to exceed $20,000 questions for Courtney?

Um, going back when we've done this before.

I I didn't know who decided what the other communities were.

Was it the consultant who said here are comparable communities, and then we had some more national.

Do you or does the utility get involved in that discussion about what you agree are communities that are comparable?

Yes.

So they will we will have a meeting and they will obviously have a pool or uh you know, an idea of who fits us well, and then but we do have input on that and when they who they go out to and obviously um Cottingham Butler does have a lot of that information already, also.

Thank you.

Other questions.

Do you remember who did the study the last time?

Um so we had it wasn't uh basically a compensation study.

Uh Springstead, who is now purchased by Baker Tilly.

They did more of uh a study to see if um like the the positions and the the actual utility was aligned right for like how the workflow was going.

Prior to that, I believe it was WMS, but that was many years ago.

So former Spring status, okay.

Yeah, yeah.

All right.

Anything else?

All right, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, abstain.

That's unanimously all right.

Action item 5C.

Approve the 46,273 and 78 cents change order to Myron Construction for Plumbing Editions at the new operations center.

So moved.

Second.

So Myron Construction is requesting a change order that's to add additional backflow prevention to all of our hose reels in the garage.

What was originally um thought of putting in there, though it wasn't included in the bid.

The original thought was something that the plumbing inspector wasn't a big fan of, so we upgraded to something a little bit better.

And then there was no pressure reducing valve uh in the design, even though we're over 80 PSI.

So these items had they been in the design, we would have paid for them in the bid, but I'm requesting an official change order for plumbing additions.

We still are within budget.

So the you said the original system wasn't enhanced.

There wasn't anything in the original bid, but the contractor said you should put something in, and obviously we'd agreed.

Oh, okay.

And what they proposed was something that we couldn't really test to make sure that they were working properly.

And so we talked to the plumbing inspector up at the city, and they're like, well, they're allowed, but we don't really like that particular one, and trying to be good stewards of the water that we're producing.

Yeah, so this would be in lieu of that other proposed.

Right, but this is this is a change order increase because nothing was included in the original bid.

Gotcha.

Okay.

Thank you.

All right, other questions for Kelly.

All right, hearing none.

Uh, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Abstain.

All right, thank you.

All right.

That brings us to action item uh 5D.

Uh approve the water main replace the new price contract and one percent city administrative fee, totaling 946,055 and 64 cents for the water utilities portion of the city of Walkshaw Public Works contract with Moose Musson Brothers Inc.

for the Luke Bourne and Walton Reconstruction Project.

So move.

Do you want to move?

Yeah, go ahead.

So move.

All right.

So Joe moved all second.

So the bids for Luke Bourne and Walton water main relays were opened at 11 on Friday, June 26th.

There were three bidders shown in the chart.

Project was approved by Board of Public Works meeting on Thursday, July 9th.

An action by the Common Council is scheduled to occur at their meeting on Tuesday, July 21st, if approved by the Water Utility Commission.

This project was brought to you back in March due to some uh more breaks on Luke Street.

Um water main issues on Luke Street.

Um at that time it was proposed that we loop Bourne over to Walton.

Oh to complete get rid of the dead end.

So that is part of this is looping that through there.

So all the red box is basically what would be getting replaced with the addition of that stretch to tie it over from Bourne to Walton.

Um the motion is to approve the water main replacement for the unit price contract and one percent administration fee totaling 946 dollars 946,055 and 64 cents for the walkshell water utilities portion.

City of Walkshell Public Works contract with Most and Brothers Inc.

for the Luke Bourne and Walton Reconstruction Project.

All right, questions for Matt.

Yeah, Matt, does our our portion of the bid does that include like because we're putting new main through the park there?

Does that include restoration or who's usually for all these projects for like the um it's basically an addition to the resurfacing project?

We do share costs with the roadway, and then where we cut through curbs, we usually are responsible for the curbs.

Basically, whatever the water portion.

So we'd be fully responsible for the part of that, yeah.

So that they are doing some sanitary work as well.

Oh, yeah.

So it's it's very very similar to the re resurfacing products for the year.

Oh where's that park again?

Saratoga the baseball fields.

Oh, yeah, okay.

Yeah, that's how that's how I oriented myself.

Yeah, that's it in order.

Is this the that's the flower shop?

That's the flower shop.

That's the baseball fields at the top of the back.

Gotcha.

Gotcha.

Thank you.

Yeah, I did a double ticket first.

All right.

Um questions for Matt.

All right.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Opposed.

Abstain.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh brings us to action item five e approve the water main extension and developers agreement for county crest lane at no cost to the utility.

So motion.

So we'll give that one to the mayor.

We'll give that to the mayor.

Uh ties go to the mayor.

Oh that that's how it works at City Council too.

So orient yourself on this particular um screen.

You need to tip your head sideways because north is this way.

North is to the right of the screen.

Meadowbrook road runs along the bottom, but obviously that's a north-south road.

The area in the dashed red um dot lines is the area that's being proposed as part of um the development lot one.

What the developer uh David Smart requested at the end of February was a water main extension along Country Crest connecting to Maple Way and then stubbing into the uh potential future development lot.

It's 550 feet of eight-inch PVC and 320 feet of 12-inch PVC.

There is water main in Torhorst up to the church, which you can see just to the south or left of lot one.

And this is an area where there are two separate pressure zones.

Reduced northwest is on the southern part of the drawing or the left side.

And uh Meadowbrook or Pebble Valley is from basically lot one to the uh right of the screen.

So it's not completing a loop, but it's setting it up to complete a future loop when the Maple Way Red Maple Way connects to existing mains.

Possibly in the future, they are looking at reorienting the this particular road that goes into the orange or yellow, depending on how you look.

They would they're currently thinking of moving and relocating what's in here to there, but that's not part of this proposal.

It is our standard developers agreement for 12 months with no exceptions.

All right, questions for Kelly.

All right, hearing none, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Opposed, staying.

Thank you all.

All right, so I think that brings us out of uh action items.

Uh yeah, it does bring us out of action as into discussion items, which there are.

So we're gonna move into information items.

Uh new operations center update.

So we have some updated photos here.

Uh Dave took the drone out yesterday.

You can see the office part is the lower section.

Uh from the Facebook is in, the windows are in.

They start they're starting to work on the inside more, and the taller section is the garage.

Go to the next one.

Um, this is the on the left is the uh, but this room is gonna be the equivalent of and on the right, right?

That's the room that's training room.

Okay, I had it backwards.

Sorry, my bad.

It'll look better when the tables in there, and then I'll know what that's okay.

So you can see they're doing patching some drywall, and they're gonna start painting soon.

There you are, putting up the door jams on the offices.

You can see there's gonna be a door and then um window space on the on the side of it.

So it's really starting to look much more like an office now.

This is the garage, uh, two different views of it, one looking out toward the exit and one looking back toward uh the shops area.

Uh that pavement is now in.

I'm not sure if it was in when you guys I don't think it was.

I'll say the concrete's in there, nice.

So did you say that they have to do that in one core or one oh four report?

Any questions, Matt, or I can field them.

When do we move in?

In the fall.

Yeah.

I was hoping you would say next month.

We have to bring our own doors.

That's why good point.

Use quarter potties for a couple months.

All right, nice.

Uh utility performance report administrative activity.

All right.

Uh so I have an update from Dan.

Work continues on depositions and expert reports.

They plan on completing all depositions by the end of August or early September.

Expert reports will be finalized following that.

They have one more deposition and a 30 B6 deposition, which is a corporate representative, a corporate representative of SJ Lewis.

This will provide information that they haven't been able to receive from other witnesses that they've deposed.

They're trying to schedule mediation and expert reports, but we have uh lack of communication from SJ Lewis attorney on them.

Um, so they're waiting a final scheduling.

Once they hear back, they will uh he will let us know more and then schedule that uh that closed session than after they have those.

Um they have a tentative date at the end of October, but uh that's dependent on the expert report scheduling.

Um also be providing an update to the court in early December, which may result in a court date being set.

That's exciting.

Uh, this would also help move things along.

So he feels they're in good position on the depositions and x-ray reports, and they are ready to go whenever the court decides.

Admin and other utility news.

Um, the PSC did respond to our request to pause the rate case.

The PSC did respond to our request to pause the rate case.

We finally got a response from them.

And they did say that we can do that.

So that was good news.

And because we do not need that anymore, Jennifer is taking that to council to list that as surplus so we can get rid of that.

Our budget timeline was created, and so Matt and Kelly are so excited because they love the budget.

We are currently working on a work comp audit that happens every year.

We are attending night out on uh 8 5 August 5th for conservation, and we uh attend that with clean water.

So we share a booth.

Um we took ice cream and Gatorade to everybody that had to work outside earlier this week.

And when we passed uh one of the city crews, we stopped and gave them a little ice cream sandwich also.

Um and we're also continuing to work with the city attorney on sending letters out to the customers for the Hine Glen Cumberland and Summit properties that have the main in the backyards.

Um City Attorney's Office is gonna help us uh finalize that letter, make sure everything is legally correct, and then we were gonna get that out so that we can get um planning on that started.

And um, as of today, we have completed the first round of interviews for the GM, which is very exciting.

Yes, um the PSC giving permission to put this on a hold.

That was a significant thing, was it not?

Yes, yes.

So that's great news.

Um they did mention in there that if it takes a little bit longer, we are gonna have to provide new data.

Um, so I I hope that um that's a lot of work.

And so I'm I'm hoping that we won't have to basically start over.

Um, but we will we'll see how long it takes for them to have a decision on Milwaukee.

But ultimately, we don't want to put two rate increases in for the for the community.

So but congratulations.

Yes, thank you.

Um that's right, because that was we're waiting on Milwaukee's rate.

Okay, all right.

Yes, it wasn't a given.

Right.

Yeah, well done on that.

Do we have how much of a buffer window do you think we have with the PSC?

Is this like a few several months?

A year we can take um until Milwaukee's decision is finalized.

Um, but again, that that whole plays out in the timing with all the new data.

So yeah, so we're we're hoping that Milwaukee is gonna be done soon.

Thank you.

The well abandonment process continues.

The pumps are out of wells five and six, 11, 12, and 13, which is great news.

Uh 1112 had our pump.

Well 12 has the P gravel in it, so it started to get abandoned.

They are starting to put the P gravel in well five.

They have put in roughly a third of what was bid, and they haven't found the top of it yet.

Well five was blasted with dynamite several times when that was still legal to increase the flow out of the well.

So consequently, when you run the camera down there, it just goes black because there's no circumference for the light to reflect off of.

Oh, so we did put in the bid 60% more than mathematically should be needed.

We did get a unit price bid, so if we're off later, I will inform you when I know more.

Um, the abandonment of the structures at Wells 5 and 6, including the reservoirs, uh, goes out for advertising on the 21st.

Bid opening is on August 11th.

It will come to you, assuming we get bidders for action at your August 20th meeting.

Lead and copper sampling is underway.

Thank you, Joe.

If you've done yours, I appreciate it.

Your house is eligible.

You might have to.

I forgot Tuesday morning, but I did get I did put it out.

Okay, you were not alone in the squad that forgot, but thank you for doing that along with our other 29 people that are helping us.

Um, and lastly, Dave and I did a tour of the booster pump station site with a woman in transportation seminar today.

We had about 22 people, and I suggested they contact Zach to go on a clean water plant tour.

So I got that process started too.

Um on construction, we are in our summer mode replacing valves, hydrants as they break or we see fit to replace.

Um we have ongoing hydrant survey, valve survey.

Uh we did do a small relay over at Mill Reserve off of St.

Paul.

We had uh a few issues over the winter with the main that crosses the river there.

Um Kelly talked about it and cited with the new river crossings that we have.

We're gonna abandon that river crossing there because the room with the new to new um apartment building, there's no more room in there to dig to fix anything.

Oh so um there was about 50 feet of old 12-inch cast iron that was left between the relay on St.

Paul and Mill Reserve.

So we relayed in-house the 50 feet of pipe there.

Um Nick is at the National Ezra Conference out in California this week, um, which is good because we have to make the switch to Arc Pro, which is our uh GIS program is I've been trying to use it for the last few months so that I can help others, and it is definitely different to use and harder to work around.

So I'm hoping Nick comes back with a lot of great pointers and fixes for us so we can teach everybody else how to use it when we have to make that switch.

Um, and then um DPW did help us pave mill reserve after we were all done, and then in turn we helped DPW pave Lincoln Avenue.

They had a uh had rented a mill, and it was uh I think we were over there for three days hauling millions for them and helping out anyway we could assist them to get their pavement program done.

So that's excellent.

Look at all that collaboration with DPS.

I appreciate it.

Love it.

So thank you, Matt.

Hey, was there any um update on it?

It's a small one.

Uh you're gonna paint all the fire hydrants.

Oh, yeah, sorry, they're coming to next Tuesday.

Oh, really?

That's that's so I know you said the I don't know if I brought this back to you after.

Did we talk about that again?

They were in make it a longer program.

So they were gonna actually he called me Friday while I was driving up north and wanted to come on Monday, but with Nick being in California and myself being out of town, I didn't want to call Kelly and have her try to have to figure out where the iPads were because we were already gone for the day, so he was gonna come Wednesday, and then with the heat and everything, he's coming next Tuesday just to start from the whole week.

So they'll be starting, they're hoping to get like 400 on this year.

Oh wow, okay.

Excellent.

Thank you.

All right, I guess that brings us to financial report.

Okay.

So we'll start with revenue as we always do.

Um revenue is looking uh very good.

We are quite a bit above budget actually uh this year.

Um couple of things to contribute to that.

We did have um half of the city has uh an extra two days on this bill, so that makes a big difference, and then we also um have just been hot and dry and hot and dry uses lots of water, so um, that is definitely contributing to that also.

Um, one little item I did want to mention on here, um, which looks a little odd, is the public.

It looks like we are under budget there for that.

Um, we there was uh an issue with the meter over at Hore when they filled the pool.

So that would be corrected next month.

Um just with the timing and everything.

Um, we will we'll get that fixed for for next month.

So you guys will see that then.

Moving on to expenses.

Um, our first line item there, source.

Um, as we just saw, we are over budget for source because our Milwaukee Waterworks invoice is um over budget because we're selling more water and using more water.

Our treatments for the month is under budget about fifty or ninety-five hundred dollars.

Um the Jacobs invoice that we received last month, um, did have some time on it for the water system model update, and it was originally booked to this treatment accountant and should have been booked to the admin line, and so that was corrected in June.

And so that's why um, you know, you normally see that admin line a larger negative number, and um the treatment um not, and so that's just the the variance there of that.

Um, and distribution is about uh 17.4 um under budget for the month, and that is um we are working right now more on our capital items, so the hydrant replacements, the valve replacements that Matt was talking about, all of our um reconstruction, all of the city's work, all of the water main replacements, so things like that.

So they're working on capital items more, and um, as we know, labor is budgeted evenly, so that's that's why that looks under budget.

We also didn't uh get an invoice from the city this month for street openings, so that makes a difference also.

Um so moving on then to our cash.

We started the month um at 53.4 million and we ended at 54.3.

Um, so as you can see, pretty much typical month.

Um we had our Wi-Fi uh um issuance there of that 1.5 almost million dollars here.

Um that's just that's submittal for all of our construction costs for the operations center.

Um everything looks good for cash, and then finally we have our transmission and distribution items, um arrowhead trail.

That is the the Sheen Stat sisters, that's the um easement that we're working to get, and so that um a piece of that that's been pushed for likely construction next year.

Um city attorney's office is also helping us with that.

They are hoping to get that finalized very soon.

Um highway 59 reconstruction.

Um Matt is crossing every appendage she has to hope that we are done with all of the offsets on that project.

Um Davidson Davidson Road, the water main uh is gonna be done this week.

They finished today, finished today, excellent.

William Street, uh the city is likely pushing um this one to 2027.

I don't think it's been formally finalized yet, but they think that's what's gonna happen.

Um, and that's uh because of a we energies thing.

Bid jeez.

So Williams Street is that is that uh like they're gonna upgrade the street by last Asian like okay, thank you.

Bidwell in prospect, that one is complete, and then the resurfacing project, they are done with the um why can I never think Harrison Hillside?

I just it's a block.

They're done with that one.

Um they are working on the easy Norton Oak Lawn, and then when they're done with that, then they will move to the Pebble Valley.

So that one is all um on schedule.

Crews were working really good, I heard, right?

Does anybody have any questions on that?

Options recording.

All right.

Well, I forgot to ask we're pushing water, correct?

Yeah, okay.

Good.

Thank you.

All right.

Um or propose to go into closed session.

Anything else for the good of the cause?

Things are good shape.

So thank you very much.

All right, um, agenda item eight, closed session.

Uh I guess I would like to make a motion uh to convene in closed session for suant to Wisconsin statute 19.85 sub one sub C to consider uh employment promotion compensation or performance evaluation data of the general manager position over which the governmental body has jurisdiction or exercises responsibility.

Second if we do uh do I check can I read oh no that's after sorry yeah roll call vote please I was confusing myself with B.

I thought there was a double no Commissioner Francoir aye Commissioner Fowl aye Commissioner Curry absent Commissioner Pyatt aye commissioner Matthews absent commissioner Bartels Absent Commissioner Helven Slavon aye all right excellent so we are in closed session right okay excellent yeah okay wait well sorry okay okay um I'd like to make a motion uh to uh reconvene in open session pursuant to Wisconsin statute 19.85 sub two whereupon action may be taken on matters discussed in closed session uh roll call oh we need a second second oh we need a second sorry oh um the mayor seconded I think I get the hang of this is okay and then the votes okay do you want to or do yes to me a roll call vote right I believe so yeah yeah another roll call so yeah to get back out okay um commissioner Frankur aye commissioner foul aye commissioner curry absent commissioner Pyatt aye commissioner Matthews absent commissioner bartell absent commissioner half and Sleben aye all right well it brings us back into closed session there's no I'm sorry open session sorry so yeah I just I just can't get it right can I bring it just back in the open session there there's no business to report so if um unless there's an objection we are adjourned yes all right

Commissioner Matthews, absent.

Commissioner Bartell, absent.

Commissioner Holfenslevan?

Aye.

All right.

Okay.

Well, that brings us back into closed session.

There's no I'm sorry, open session.

Sorry.

So yeah, I just can't get it right, can I?

Brings us back into open session.

There there's no business to report.

So if um unless there's an objection, we are adjourned.

There you go.

All right.

Um