Board amends contract with Martenson and Eisele

The Wittenberg Village Board voted to amend a contract for a sidewalk proposal for the village.

The vote went through unanimously. Board trustee Paul Yaeger was absent.

Representatives from Martenson and Eisele attended the May 18 board meeting in order to provide board members with information on the project.

An original contract was signed with Martenson and Eisele to construct two sections of sidewalk on Grand Avenue and Genesee Street.

Mary Jo Miller, a representative from Martenson and Eisele, mentioned that a discussion was held at a public informational meeting surrounding the topic of the two sidewalk sections in Wittenberg, as well as applying for Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) money, through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

According to Miller, after the public information meeting, David Timm, board trustee, contacted her about finance for four more sections of sidewalk in the village. The proposed sidewalks are located on the east side of South Webb Street by Washington Park, the south side of East Vinal Street by Pond Park, the south side of West Reed Street from Howard Street to South Mill Street — including up the west side of South Mill Street to the park pavilion and on the east side of South Ellms Street, from East Reed Street to just past Walnut Street.

“These are all sidewalks that people have been asking for,” said board president Bill Switalla.

With the board deciding to wait another year and applying for TAP money, they found it appropriate to add additional sidewalks that need to be done.

“We walked those sections and are providing this proposal to include that as a part of this project,” said Miller.

She then went into detail on what the proposal would include.

“This proposal is for surveying, design, permitting, bidding, and applying for the grant for the TAP money,” said Miller.

Including this would introduce a contract amendment to the original contract, which would include the four additional sidewalk sections.

In order to apply for the TAP fund, applications are expected to come out in fall. Contracts are awarded in the spring of 2022 and the TAP money can then be spent starting July 1, 2022.

“Any money that you spend prior to that (July 1, 2022), you have to cover yourself,” said Miller.

She added that if the board decided to wait until after that July 1 date to start design, construction would not be able to start in 2022.

In a related matter, Timm initiated a conversation at the meeting about adding a 10 foot by 20 foot cement slab included with the sidewalk on East Vinal Street by Pond Park.

“It would be a platform for wheelchairs,” said Timm.

According to Timm, there is a driveway that extends towards the pond. Extending the driveway with a cement slab would give those who use wheelchairs the opportunity to go up to the end of the pond.

Included with the concrete slab, railings would also be added. The railings were discussed to go around three sides of the concrete slab.

“I would imagine it is probably on three sides, but we will check with our architects to make sure we get that ADA accessible,” said Miller.

According to Timm, the plan is to pave a sidewalk off of the driveway to the cement slab.

A handicap parking spot would also be included on the street.

Timm mentioned that it was discussed that if there were upgrades to Pond Park, including better handicap accessible areas, it would play a factor into receiving the grant application.

The costs for the whole project are not yet known, but according to Wittenberg Village Clerk Traci Matsche, more information will be known when the grant application is done.