No grants for Main Street amenities
By Angie Landsverk
The city of Waupaca is renegotiating its contract with the firm hired to design the streetscape aspect of the Main Street project.
“Since council approved the contracts, council has to give approval to renegotiate those contracts,” said Director of Public Works Justin Berrens.
The council did so last month with a 9-0 vote.
Ald. Paul Hagen was absent.
The vote is related to RDG Planning and Design’s contract.
When the firm was hired in May 2017, its contract included working to complete and acquire grant funding.
That was also the case for SEH Engineering Services, the firm hired at the same time to design the roadway and utilities for the reconstruction of Main Street.
Berrens told the council the firms sought several grants but have been “unsuccessful to this point” in acquiring any of them.
The city’s budget does not include anything for amenities.
Grant funds were supposed to cover them, he said.
The latest estimate for the amenities is $725,000.
Berrens told the council the city had two options – increase the amount it borrows or adjust the landscaping plan.
Increasing the city’s borrow for the project would leave little room for other capital projects in 2021, he said.
An adjustment to the landscaping plan results in design and construction cost savings.
The council favored that option.
Project plans, costs
The reconstruction of Main Street, from Badger to Granite streets, is scheduled for 2021.
The project includes new street, sewer, water, stormwater and curb and gutter.
Decorative concrete sidewalks, new street lights, benches and landscaping are also part of the plan.
The city has budgeted $3.375 million for the project.
That includes $2.255 million for the roadway items.
The budget is being supplemented by Surface Transportation Program (STP) funding, which the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) manages.
That fund is paying for 80% of eligible items, with a maximum of $1.5 million.
Standard street construction items are eligible for those funds.
The city’s budget also includes a $1.01 million borrow.
The water items for the project are budgeted at $475,000 and the sewer items at $350,000.
The plans for the reconstruction of the street are 60% complete and given to the DOT for review.
This is not the first time a city project faces reductions.
In 2013, the city cut costs for improvements at South Park when its proposal came in over budget.
“We also had to reduce costs around Union, Jefferson and Fulton,” said Mayor Brian Smith.
That took place last year when the parking was reconfigured there.
Smith said amenities were reduced.
“The most important part of Main Street is the water, the sewer and the road and redoing the sidewalk,” the mayor said.
Berrens said, “We want our downtown to look great.”
The city is looking at what it can substitute to save money, he said.
Ald. Paul Mayou said the city should also look at ways to preserve the project’s look and newness.
For downtown business owners, it is “important to have a Main Street that looks really good,” he said.
Smith said, “I think what’s going to happen is it’s going to be a project Waupaca residents want when it’s done.”