The Finance Committee met 01/08/2024. In addition to the Library Signage Package and the Wastewater Treatment Plant items, the committee voted on 6 additional items all of which they approved unanimously.
I’ve prepared a transcript of the discussion for download:
ITEM 24-0012: Request to approve write off of $74,881.54 of accounts receivable invoices and $16,668.36 of personal property taxes (outstanding over one year)
Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim (District 13) confirmed with Finance Director Jeri Ohman that the city would continue to pursue collection of these bills even though it was writing them off. She also wanted to know how successful the city was in collecting on bills they wrote off. Director Ohman said most the bills were going to go to a collection agency. Additionally, the city utilizes the Tax Refund Intercept Program (TRIP). She did not have any data readily available on how many written off bills they ended up successfully collecting on because sometimes things could take 6 months to collect and sometimes 6 years. Because of the long range in time, they had never gathered statistics over what they ended up collecting on.
Alderperson Katie Van Zeeland (District 5) said that her understanding was that the personal property tax would no longer be in existence after 2024. Director Ohman said that was correct; however, the city would continue to pursue collection of unpaid personal property tax bills from previous years.
ITEM 24-0013: Request to approve Change Order #4 to contract 72-22 for Unit H-21 Redundant Raw Water Line to increase for unanticipated site conditions in the amount of $176,232.54 resulting in a decrease in contingency from $244,549.71 to $0.00. No change to overall contract amount.
Per the staff memo, the existing as main location and depth differed from the plans they had on file. The project required more time, materials, and equipment than they had anticipated. Additionally, “poor soils and wet site conditions resulted in wider trenches than anticipated.” All in all, the total cost was $176,232.54 more than anticipated.
Alderperson Hartzheim was concerned that they had used up all of the contingency.
Deputy Director of Public Works Pete Neuberger said that in addition to covering the increased cost, the requested change order also included the release of $68,317.17 of unneeded remaining contingency. So that was how much contingency that they would have had remaining.
Alderperson Hartzheim was also concerned that the site conditions were different from the plan drawings that the city had on file for the site. Director Neuberger said that the type of pipe they were using for this project, unlike that for typical water mains, did not have any kind of “play” to it. Normally, the could move things around a little bit without compromising the integrity of the system, but in this case there was little room for error, hence the need for additional materials and fittings.
Alderperson Denise Fenton (District 6) asked if the extra cost would include updating the drawings the city had on file, and Deputy Director Neuberger said that he would make sure that the drawings the city had on file would accurately reflect the situation underground.
ITEM 24-0014: Request to award Unit H-23 Lightning Drive Sewer & Water, Grade & Gravel, and Bridge Construction to Triple P Inc., dba Peters Concrete Company, in the amount of $1,544,853.12 with a 7.5% contingency of $116,000.00 for a project total not to exceed $1,660,853.12
Alderperson Hartzheim remarked that all of District 13 was excited for this.
ITEM 24-0015: Request to award a sole source contract to McMahon for design, bidding, and construction oversite for the 2024 Wastewater Hardscapes Improvement Project, for a contract fee of $56,600 and a 5% contingency of $2,830 not to exceed a total contract amount of $59,430
Alderperson Hartzheim commented that this was a sole source contract. “Those make me very uncomfortable.”
ITEM 24-0016: Request to award a sole source contract to Nordon Business Environments for the Municipal Services Building Furniture Upgrades in the amount of $189,135.72
Alderperson Hartzheim again noted that this was a sole source contract.
Alderperson Chris Croatt (District 14) agreed in general with the concern about sole source contracts, but per the memo there were some specific reasons why a sole source contract was warranted in this case, and noted particularly the ability to maintain uniformity of workstations throughout the City of Appleton.
Director of Parks Recreation and Facilities Dean Gazza agreed that the reason was to have the same standard of workstations throughout the facility. Additionally, because it was purchased through the US Communities Government Purchasing Alliance Contract, they were able to get better pricing than if they had put the package out for bids.
ITEM 24-0005: Request to approve the Relocation Order for work at or near 1850 West Wisconsin Avenue
This was approved with no discussion.
View full meeting details and video here: https://cityofappleton.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1145338&GUID=7A32E7E3-C13D-44B3-A880-2BC6BA99DD57
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