The final design of the expansion and remodeling of Weyauwega’s city hall and police department is expected to be completed earlier than expected.
That is what the Weyauwega Common Council learned during its Feb. 16 meeting.
Initially, Cedar Corporation thought the final design process would go through April, with the project then going out to bid in May, City Administrator Patrick Wetzel told the council.
“It looks like it’ll be done three to four weeks earlier,” he said of the final design.
That means the bidding phase could begin in late March.
The bid opening could then take place in early April, and the common council could award a contract at its April meeting, Wetzel said.
Construction would begin in June and end the following May.
Cedar Corporation’s intent is to be at the council’s March meeting with a final plan, he said.
The Green Bay company is working on the project design, and last December, the council voted to proceed with the final design phase.
With that work wrapping up earlier, Cedar Corporation asked the city if it wants the company to handle the bidding phase as well.
During its Feb. 16 meeting, the council voted in favor of proceeding with the bidding phase after the final plan is completed.
Cedar Corporation will manage, collect and present the bids to the council at a cost of about $9,100.
The project will also be the subject of a common council workshop, scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the lower level meeting room of the Weyauwega Public Library.
Last week, council members agreed to discuss the upcoming project in such a format.
Mayor Mike Kempf said he keeps asking Cedar Corporation what the project will cost and is told between $2.3 to $2.5 million.
The mayor said that does not include desks.
Wetzel said Cedar Corporation put together a furniture and technology allowance of $50,000 to $60,000 for the project.
“I don’t know that the council gave a lot of direction as to the type of technology, what the council chambers will look like,” he said.
Wetzel said the city could incorporate furniture it already has or buy new items.
That is part of the process as the city gets closer to the final design, he said.
“There will be a lot of choices after you get the construction bids,” Wetzel said.
Ald. Scott Rasmussen said it is a long-term project, so the council should think about accommodating the building for future technology needs.
“I don’t think we ever figured or talked about what we need,” Kempf said.
Ald. Bruce Brunner said a workshop of the commom council is the most reasonable idea for such a discussion.
Plans call for a two-story building to be constructed on three lots.
That includes the present lot city hall and the police department are located on in downtown Weyauwega and the two lots located next to it, at 105 and 107 E. Main St.
The city’s discussion about how to improve city hall first began in 2008.
The options included renovating the current city hall or constructing a new building on various sites.
After reviewing various options, the common council decided to keep city hall downtown.
Cedar Corporation was retained in 2011 to review city hall’s suitability for renovation, as well as the two buildings next to it for potential opportunities. The city purchased those two lots a couple years ago.
An assessment of city hall identified a number of items needing to be addressed including a lack of security, proper storage, meeting space, voting space, proper police functions and energy efficiency.