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Howard board awards pond construction project

By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer


HOWARD – A motion to award a regional storm water pond construction project to MCC, Inc. for $1,855,900 – contingent upon attorney review, permit approval from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and separating trucking costs from other expenses – was approved last month by the village board on a 7-1 vote.

Trustee Craig McAllister, who suggested another plan he said would save the village money, cast the lone dissenting vote.

Director of Engineering Mike Kaster said the construction includes the excavation of two regional ponds.

Kaster said one pond, Crescent Hills Regional, is being constructed on property near the County Highway FF and C intersection to serve a little more than 100 acres of developed and undeveloped land with an immediate need for the Crescent Hills subdivision.

He said the other regional pond, Mills Center 2, is being constructed on the south side of County C, across from the newly constructed Howards Crossing subdivision, and will service nearly 300 acres of undeveloped and developed property with an immediate need for the Hazel Estates subdivision and Marley Street reconstruction.

Kaster said part of the project involves delivering 100,000 cubic yards of fill material to the KRAM Properties parcel at 1420 Brookfield Ave. in the Howard Industrial Park.

He said he was glad to see the bids come in under the budgeted amount of $2.1 million.

McAllister said the two ponds could be done for “little or nothing, if we would just take advantage of an opportunity that’s in front of us.”

He said a company awarded a contract for the County VV/State Highway 29 interchange project was looking for fill, which the village could sell for $1.50 per cubic yard to the company also digging a pond.

“What the village would probably have to finish up… would (be) to actually put the storm sewer pipes to the pond,” McAllister said. “But the hole would be dug, and we’d be getting paid for the material.”

However, board members who indicated they liked McAllister’s idea also stated it was too late after the village previously committed to using the fill in the industrial park.

Concrete repairs

Board members also approved a miscellaneous concrete repairs project to Martell Construction Inc. for $69,815, contingent upon attorney review.

Kaster said the concrete repairs were typically part of the annual road resurfacing contract in recent years, but this year the concrete repairs were separated to get more bidder competition and for scheduling simplicity.

He said construction could begin as early as May 1 and is scheduled for completion in October, subject to weather conditions.

Closed session

The board took no action after meeting in closed session to confer with legal counsel on a pending court case involving a dispute the village has over the assessed value of the Woodman’s store in Howard.

Woodman’s is seeking to lower the assessment on the site of its store at 2400 Duck Creek Parkway and claims it has been charged excessive property taxes since 2017.

Village Administrator Paul Evert said a court trial in Brown County Circuit Court involving the dispute is scheduled to begin March 23.

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