MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – Marshfield City Council received an update on the planned renovation of the Wildwood Plaza building for the relocation of the police department, following concerns that early cost estimates may exceed the city’s approved construction budget.
The item was placed on the agenda at the request of Council Members Spiros and O’Reilly. City Administrator Steve Barg delivered the update, noting that Marshfield has budgeted 10.8 million dollars for the project, with 10 million dollars designated for construction and 800,000 dollars for design and engineering.
Barg reported that the city has spent 136,000 dollars so far on design and engineering through consulting firm BKV. He said council members had asked for clarity after hearing that an early preliminary figure discussed with the police chief was around 12 million dollars, above the city’s construction limit.
Barg told the council that third party schematic-phase estimates currently range between 10.8 and 13.5 million dollars. He added that consultants have been told “very clearly” that 10 million dollars is the outer limit for construction.
Barg described the city’s next steps, including bringing forward a request for proposals for a construction manager. He said the role would involve cost-saving reviews, value engineering, and working toward a guaranteed maximum price. Barg also noted the likelihood of market volatility in 2026, saying there may be “labor cost [and] supply chain uncertainties.”
Council Members Raise Questions About Scope and Communication
Several council members expressed concern about escalating costs and the need for clearer communication on design progress.
Alderman Wehrman said the city should identify the critical functions of the building in case reductions are needed when bids are received.
“What we need to be doing instead of worrying too much about cost is we need to start planning for what our minimum viable product is. So what is the base operational portion of the building? … If the bid does come in high… where can we cut… and still operate effectively? Because in the next however many years, we can be doing fundraising… sponsorships, looking for grants… but we still need to know what the base of the building is that they need to operate.”
Council Member O’Reilly said rising project budgets are a common concern in public construction and stressed the need to avoid misunderstandings about total costs.
“I just watch these government projects that are scheduled to be a certain dollar amount and they always escalate… I think it was very clear when this thing was approved that 10 million was the limit.”
O’Reilly also said he has not seen enough project detail, adding, “I haven’t seen or heard anything about this project… I think from an elected official standpoint, you sit back and go, what is going on with this?”
He requested more information about geotechnical testing, hazardous materials testing, and any design changes.
Alderman Feirer referenced past County construction overages as a cautionary example:
“We had a projected number of 58 million. Guess what happened when the bids came out? It was 98 million… If it goes up, we’re going to be in trouble.”
Barg: Council Will Be Updated at Key Checkpoints
Barg assured the council that updates will be regular and transparent, saying, “We will have continuous checkpoints for you… You’re not going to wake up one day and we’re going to say, ‘Well, sorry guys, it came in at 14 million, get a sign on.’ That day is not going to happen.”
He also noted that design work began in 2023 and inflation has increased construction costs since then.
The city plans to bring another update when schematic design is completed and when the construction manager RFP is ready for council review.
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Author: News Desk
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