Council awards $1.29 million contract for Courtside Fields stormwater pond amid DNR compliance discussion

The Neenah Common Council voted 9‑0 on Dec. 3 to award Contract 12‑25 for the Courtside Fields stormwater pond to MCC Incorporated for $1,289,292.79, with funding identified in Director Kaiser’s memo dated Nov. 26, 2025.

Vice Chair Lindrum presented the Board of Public Works recommendation and Director Kaiser explained the project’s role in the Fox River watershed and the city’s obligations under the DNR‑approved total maximum daily load (TMDL) analysis. Kaiser told the council that the city has not yet made progress in this particular basin and that the Courtside Fields work is an important first step to demonstrate progress to the Department of Natural Resources; he said failing to act would place the city in “a very bad position” regulatory‑wise.

Alderman Pulno asked about the practical downsides of delaying the project and whether not approving the work would have regulatory consequences. Kaiser and staff described the project as providing both water‑quality benefits and potential local flood‑mitigation for nearby Reed/Elm/Cecil areas; Kaiser said the work could reduce or eliminate localized flooding in the best case.

Council approved the award 9‑0. The council discussion and materials indicate the project is one component of a larger set of watershed improvements tied to the DNR TMDL; the council did not set a construction start date at the meeting.