By Ben Rodgers
Editor
HOBART – Concerns about fiber optics were unearthed by village officials during a recent joint meeting with project leaders regarding the planned County Highway VV/State Highway 29 interchange.
Village Administrator Aaron Kramer informed the village board Tuesday, April 21, he along with Village President Rich Heidel, Public Works Director Jerry Lancelle and Village Attorney Frank Kowalkowski met remotely with Brown County and Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials about a week and a half ago.
Kramer said fiber optics improvements included as part of the federal grant are running around $800,000 over budget.
He said the village owes it to taxpayers to find out as much as it can about the increased cost.
“Why did the price nearly double and what was the justification?” Kramer asked. “Are we getting something better? What else is it? That’s what we’re trying to get out is who made the call and why?”
Heidel said one reason for the increased cost was the project required the fiber optics be rerouted.
“The meeting would never have happened had we not pushed the issue,” he said. “There had to have been 15 partied people there. The DOT facilitated it, they made it sound like a project update meeting, that was fine. We had our issue addressed, but during the course of the meeting we did drill down on the fiber optic budget, and it’s over budget, it’s over budget $800,000, which is significant.”
The interchange project, which includes nearly $20 million in federal funds, is being administered by the DOT, with the villages of Hobart and Howard, along with Brown County as project partners.
The Village of Hobart is required to pay 11 percent of the cost at $3.21 million.
Kramer said even with the fiber optic overage, the project is still on schedule and on budget.
Heidel said the village also questioned the DOT’s involvement with the Environmental Protection Agency on the project.
He said even though the Oneida Nation purchased land involved in the planned route of interchange components, there’s no reservation to necessitate the involvement of a federal agency, after Chief U.S. District Judge William Griesbach ruled March 28, 2019, the reservation no longer exists.
Planned projects
In other news, the board heard three reports on upcoming projects.
A 44,000-square-foot, four-story, 32-unit condominium building with underground parking and a commercial component on Centerline Drive will be coming before the full board at a later date for approval.
A 17,000-square-foot office building that will serve as the headquarters for Lexington Homes on Centennial Centre Boulevard could break ground in the near future.
Lexington Homes also proposed a 76-unit, six-building, multi-family residence development along Copilot Way, where work has begun and a development agreement is in place.
Hillcrest elementary improvements
The board agreed to a staff proposal to spend up to $44,000 for safety improvements to Hillcrest Elementary School, with the Pulaski school district paying $30,000.
The improvements would be made to add a crosswalk, flashing pedestrian beacons, a sidewalk and speed bumps to the parking lot.
This item also requires approval from the Pulaski school board, which met Wednesday, April 22.
Public hearings scheduled
Two public hearings will be held in May.
The first hearing will be on May 5 for rezoning six parcels on Fonda Fields Court from R-1 Residential to B-1 Community Business.
According to Brown County land records, the property is owned by Golden Pond Development LLC and has an estimated value of more than $1.6 million.
The property was previously listed for sale for as much as $8.4 million and was up for auction as recently as Feb. 8.
The second public hearing will be held May 19 regarding a conditional use permit to exceed the number of allowed animal units permitted in the Estate Residential zoning district at 3641 North Overland Road.
Mark and Ashley Sauder are requesting the permit.