Grand Chute Town Board Approves Multi-Million Dollar Infrastructure Projects and Key Service Contracts

Highlights from the Town of Grand Chute Board Meetings of May & June 2026 from minutes & audio found at: https://www.grandchutewi.gov/government/minutes_and_agendas/minutes

The Grand Chute Town Board advanced several major initiatives, most notably approving a $5.47 million contract for street and water main reconstruction and finalizing a new 10-year residential waste collection agreement. Additionally, the Board established leadership parameters for its upcoming Town Administrator recruitment and executed a cost-neutral transition to upgrade its automated public safety technology.

Infrastructure and Public Works Expansion

The Board authorized significant investments in town infrastructure, highlighted by the contract award for the 2025-06 Ridgeview Area Street Reconstruction and Nicolet Road Water Main project. Dorner, Inc. was awarded the contract with a unanimous vote for $5,472,348.74. To support this project, the Board also unanimously approved a $204,800 contract with McMahon Associates to handle construction inspection and administration services. Furthermore, the Board passed a $407,028.97 change order to extend a Public Works storage building by 20 feet, an alteration that keeps the broader project approximately $1.5 million under its total budget limit.

Municipal Services and Land Development

A new 10-year agreement for residential solid waste collection services was established with GFL Environmental Services USA LLC. Under the updated terms, the initial cost of $4.00 per cart will eventually rise to $4.60 in January 2027. Town staff estimates that by 2027, households will pay $125.03 annually—a 26.4% increase from the previous rate—though this remains well below the Wisconsin statewide average.

In other business, the Board unanimously approved an offer from FORE Real Estate Holdings, LLC to purchase approximately seven acres of town-owned land north of Clarity Court for a new single-family residential development. MSA Professional Services, Inc. was also selected to provide contracted building inspection services alongside a corresponding budget transfer.

Public Safety Technology Overhaul

The Board approved a major shift in its automated license plate reader (ALPR) infrastructure, voting unanimously to terminate its existing contract with Flock Safety for convenience and transition to an integrated 23-camera system provided by Axon Enterprise. Police leadership reported that ALPR systems have dramatically improved local law enforcement efficiency, noting that the crimes-against-persons arrest clearance rate rose from an average of 47.93% to 68% following the implementation of fixed plate readers. Police Chief Mass stated:

“I believe that this technology is helping solve crime faster and more efficiently.”

The termination of the Flock contract incurred an $11,500 fee, which Axon absorbed in full as part of a competitive agreement that included over $75,000 in vendor discounts. The transition addresses administrative and data privacy concerns while retaining direct municipal ownership of the physical hardware.

Administration, Governance, and Personnel Confirmations

Working alongside Dave Bretl of Public Administration Associates (PAA), the Board finalized the recruitment profile, announcement text, and marketing plan for the upcoming Town Administrator search. The official brochure will highlight Grand Chute’s $73.2 million all-funds budget and $26.6 million general fund expense budget, with applications closing on July 6 ahead of candidate assessments on July 28–29.

In related personnel actions, the Board confirmed Stephanie Chitel as the new Human Resources Director and Jim Hawbaker as the Information Technology Director. To streamline administrative tracking, the Board also established a new special revenue fund for ambulance services (Resolution TBR-11-2026) and dissolved the inactive municipal Drainage Committee (Ordinance O-08-2026).

Community Feedback and Long-Term Capital Planning

During a public budget workshop, citizens expressed concerns regarding localized infrastructure, with one resident asking the Board, “How about giving the people who pay taxes a decent road to drive on?”

Following public feedback, Finance Director Palmquist presented the town’s five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), which outlines a projected $151 million in total capital requests through 2031. Key elements of the proposed plan include $5 million for public safety building engineering, $15.5 million in localized street improvements, hardware upgrades, and various park developments, including a splash pad at Patriot Park and a boardwalk at Arrowhead Park.

Key Actions and Voting Records

• Dorner, Inc. Contract Award: Unanimously approved ($5,472,348.74) for street and water main reconstruction.
• GFL Environmental Agreement: Unanimously approved for a 10-year residential solid waste collection contract.
• Axon Enterprise Agreement: Unanimously approved for 23 fixed-point ALPR cameras, including a data control transition.
• Personnel Confirmations: Unanimously confirmed Stephanie Chitel as HR Director and Jim Hawbaker as IT Director.
• TBR-11-2026 & O-08-2026: Unanimously approved the creation of an ambulance revenue fund and the rescission of the Drainage Committee.

The next steps in the town’s administrative recruitment process will resume with candidate review materials distributed to the Board in mid-July.

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Natasha Winkler

Administrator

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