Utility issue complicates city review of site plan for addition to RHS

The City of Rhinelander plan commission has signed off on the site plans for the technical education-related additions to James Williams Middle School and Rhinelander High School, approved by voters last spring, but there was some debate regarding the RHS portion of the project.

The stumbling block, as expressed during the commission’s Nov. 12 meeting, was ownership of the water main that serves the high school.

Mark Barden of Town & Country Engineering, the outside firm that provides the city with public works-related services, reviewed the site plan submissions ahead of the commission meeting.

In a letter to city administrator Patrick Reagan, Barden noted that the water main within the high school property is “most likely” a city utility.

“The project involves two new additions to the existing high school (a construction lab as well as an automotive lab with four bay doors), construction of new sanitary sewer and storm sewer and water main realignment,” Barden wrote. “In general, review of city utilities is limited to construction within the city’s right-of-way. However, the water main within the high school property is a city utility, to the best of my knowledge, therefore all water main reconstruction must meet city standards.”

Specifically, city standards require the use of ductile iron water main rather than PVC (polyvinyl chloride) pipe, he explained.

In his letter, Barden also noted that the existing water main, per the city’s GIS mapping, runs underneath the existing building on the north end.

“Although this is not intended to be replaced during this project, this water main should be reconstructed to run north along the east side of the parking lot to tie into the existing main north of the north parking lot,” he wrote.

“I can't see how someone adding an addition to the property will give us authority to force them to relocate a complete utility,” Mayor Kris Hanus said during the commission’s discussion of the site plan.  “Because it’s already grandfathered in, which I’m guessing has been for the 20, 30 years it’s been there. So ‘'m comfortable saying they could proceed with their site plan as long as there’s no public utilities underneath their addition.”

Reagan offered a note of caution.

“One thing that I would just advise is you heard from the engineer, from Mark (Barden), there’s lots of questions with this plan. There’s lots of questions with it. I understand where the mayor’s coming from and respect the mayor, but I would say the school isn’t going to accept students having half- completed work, should you have accepted half-completed work? I think what the engineer is bringing up to you is something to think about.”

Reagan noted that “ambiguity and vagueness” at the outset of a project can result in confusion and problems later on. 

“With other projects we've done, especially when I first came in, I saw ambiguity and vagueness, and it led to a lot of, ‘well, you said we could do that, no, you said we could do that, no, you said we could do this, no, you said we could do that.’ And one of the best ways to make sure it’s ironclad, we know exactly what's going on, is to have a completed set (of plans). Mark looks at it and says, great, this commission looks at it and says, great, and we move forward. It's kind of a measure twice, cut once sort of thing. I just want to get rid of the ambiguity, the, ‘well, you know, I'm not sure, I kind of, you know, can we, can we not’ kind of thing. That's why I would say I would recommend that a completed plan set that everybody is comfortable with be considered.”

Both Reagan and Barden stressed that they were in no way impugning the work of the firms the school district has chosen to work on the project. In fact, both expressed confidence that the necessary clarifications will be provided and all issues resolved in a timely manner.

Commissioner Tom Jerow noted that “it’s in the best interest of both the school district and the city,” as both are supported by the taxpayers, to determine the exact status of the utility in question before the project proceeds.

Eventually, Hanus suggested a compromise that he said would provide the necessary “checks and balances.”

He made a motion to approve the site plan for the RHS portion of the project as presented with conditions. First, it must be determined whether the water main in question is a public utility. If it is a public utility, all work must be done to city standard. Any changes to any city right-of-way and or pavement also has to be put back according to city standards. Finally, Town and Country Engineering has to sign off on the project.

The vote on the motion was unanimous.

The River News reached out to school district superintendent Eric Burke to ask about a potential increase in costs if the utility belongs to the city and work must be done to city standards. 

In response, Burke indicated that it is believed that the water main under RHS is a public utility. He also expressed confidence that all related issues can be resolved. The additional cost will be accounted for within the overall ($26 million) referendum budget, he added.

“The School District of Rhinelander and their partners at Bray Architects were made aware during the plan commission process that the water utility running through the site is indeed a public utility, and not just a utility serving the high school facility,” Burke said in a statement. “This is highly unusual, however in conversations with the city this was approved during a prior addition at this site. The school district is now proposing new additions in different areas of the building, and one of those additions is going to require the pipe to be moved outside of the building footprint. In conversations with the City, the entire line does not have to be reconstructed as it was approved by the City prior, but the relocated portion will be required to be constructed of higher grade pipe in comparison to if the pipe was just a utility serving the school. This will be more cost than initially expected, but will be accounted for within the overall referendum budget.”

The site plan for the additions to James Williams Middle School was approved with minimal discussion.

Work on the additions is expected to begin in the spring and continue through the summer while class is not in session. During the Nov. 18 school board meeting it was noted that school will start one week later than usual in the fall of 2025 to accommodate the work. 

The first day for incoming sixth- and ninth-grade students will be Sept, 8. All students will return to class on Sept. 9.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].