By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
HOBART – A low bid of $218,905 from Jossart Brothers, of De Pere, for the Packerland Drive water main loop project was approved earlier this month by the Village Board.
Public Works Director Jerry Lancelle said nine contractors submitted bids, one as high as $343,300, with the six-lowest bidders within $6,000 of each other.
“We got a very good return on our (request) for the bids,” he said.
Lancelle said the village previously worked with Jossart Brothers and had no issues with the company.
“Robert E. Lee, (which provides the village engineering services), has looked the bid package over and has no issue with the submission,” he said.
Lancelle said the project will connect the water main loop from Lear Lane, where it meets Packerland Drive, to Orlando Drive.
“It will complete that loop in the Tailwind subdivision area,” he said.
Village Administrator Aaron Kramer said American Rescue Plan Act funds will be used for the project.
“This does not benefit any developer, any proposed development,” he said. “It is 100% for system redundancy and safety. The money is already there for this project.”
Lease buyout denied
In other action, the Hobart board voted unanimously to deny an offer from Everest Infrastructure Partners to buy out the remainder of a 10-year lease with Nsighttel Wireless on the Thornberry Creek water tower for the lump sum of $290,000.
The lease with Nsighttel requires payments of more than $1,400 per month through 2031 to have equipment on the tower.
Kramer said the village’s projected total revenue would be more than $316,500.
“Everest has offered us $290,000 – a lump-sum payment, one time – to buy us out,” he said. “If I do the math correctly, that means it’s a net loss of $26,598, not counting future value of the dollar, inflation or anything of that nature.”
Temporary appointments
The board approved an ordinance amendment to create a procedure for the appointment of board members on a temporary basis to fill vacancies on commissions and committees.
The amendment allows the board president, in the event a board member is unable to carry out his or her duties, to make a temporary appointment of another board member with board approval for not more than three months, after which the president must receive board approval to refill the vacancy.