Councilmembers feel new contacts and options could be beneficial for city
By Kellen Olshefski
Editor
The City of Elkhorn Common Council voted in favor of retaining Baxter & Woodman as engineers for the City’s northeast water treatment plant project at its meeting Monday night.
Previously, the City had sent out for proposals for City engineering services and recently interviewed four firms, looking for an engineering firm to continue the water treatment plant project and also provide general engineering services for the city.
Stantec currently handles engineering services for the city and it was recommended at the Nov. 24 Municipal Services and Utilities Committee meeting the firm be notified by or before Dec. 2 of the impending change to allow the firm to continue on current projects such as the Sunset Park ball fields and the North Wisconsin Street sidewalk replacement.
Both the interview team and the Municipal Services and Utilities Committee unanimously recommended sticking with Baxter & Woodman and transferring engineering services to Kapur and & Associates as the City Engineer.
Alderman Gary Payson, Sr., made the motion to retain Baxter & Woodman and authorize the firm to apply for the Safe Drinking Water Loan application through the DNR. The motion was seconded by Alderman Gregory Huss.
Alderman James D’Alessandro, who was not in attendance at Monday’s council meeting, said during the Nov. 24 committee meeting he was impressed by the fact that three of the other firms interviewed actually recommended staying with Baxter & Woodman for the water plant project. At that meeting, Alderman Hoss Rehberg also said he was impressed with the new team.
According to minutes from the meeting, Baxter & Woodman had presented options for substantial cost savings on the new treatment plant during interviews, including changing the scope and increasing the involvement of City of Elkhorn Utilities Director John Murphy in the planning process.
Alderman Tom Myrin echoed his sentiments from the prior week Monday night and said he still has a small problem with his confidence in Baxter & Woodman because of what the City had gone through earlier this year.
“Now all of a sudden they can save us money, why didn’t they come up with this idea a few months ago,” he said.
Myrin said he’s thankful the council didn’t approve the project then, costing taxpayers more money.
“I have a hard time with the confidence level going back with the same company,” he said.
Rehberg said going through the interview process and meeting the City’s new point man with Baxter & Woodman, Jerry Groth, and listening to his philosophy on the project, he feels there’s definitely a new outlook on the project.
“Yes, it is the same company, but we were working with a different individual from that company,” he said.
Alderman Scott McClory, Huss, Rehberg, and Payson voted in favor of the motion. Myrin voted no.
In other business
The Council unanimously voted in favor of approving a contract to LC United Painting Company to handle the painting of Lakeland Water Tower Monday evening.
Murphy came to the council previously noting the tower was in desperate need of being sand-blasted, primed and repainted, something which would last approximately 20 years, according to McClory.
The project is expected to cost about $277,000 and is included in the 2015 budget.
The Council also voted in favor of an in-car video system contract with Baycom for the Elkhorn Police Department, a company McClory said is basically the industry standard for systems of this type. This project is expected to cost $39,087.
Finally, the council voted in favor of a contract with Bartolotta Fireworks Co., Inc., for the July 4 holiday fireworks in 2015. Fireworks will be held on July 3 this year, with a July 4 rain date.
