Finance committee approves multiple contracts, change order and budget carryovers

The Appleton City Finance Committee unanimously approved a series of procurement and budget measures at its March 23 meeting, including a five-year fire inspection contract, a sidewalk contract, a construction change order and several budget carryovers and amendments.

The committee voted 3–0 to award a five-year Fire Protection Inspection Services contract to Summit Fire Protection for $160,435 and to award project C-26 (sidewalk saw cutting) to ASTI Sign Incorporated for up to $30,000. The body also approved a $92,515 change order to the Unit W sewer and water reconstruction contract, bringing the amended contract total to $2,678,100 while leaving the contingency unchanged at $60,000.

Deputy Director Neuburg noted that of the change order amount, $60,515 covers water-main work within the state Department of Transportation right-of-way and "is compensable by the DOT," a clarification the committee received before voting to approve the amendment.

The committee also approved the purchase of Clear Compliance management software through CDW Government for $44,250.

On budget matters, the committee approved carryover appropriations for fiscal 2025–26 and a package of 2025 budget amendments. Director Ullman explained that carryover funds generally remain assigned to the projects for which they were budgeted but are not yet obligated. "The items requesting special consideration are amounts that were budgeted for one purpose, but the department would like to use them for a different purpose. Therefore, they're asking to carry over the budget funds," Ullman said.

Alder Crow pressed for more detail on the library building project’s fundraising status and total project costs; the chair said that data was not immediately available and would be checked. During the information-item discussion, Ullman confirmed that unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are obligated and that the city "has until 2026 to spend those" funds, with staff reporting projects are on track.

Votes at a glance
- 26-0396: Approval of minutes — Passed 3–0.
- 26-0385: Award Fire Protection Inspection Services (Summit Fire Protection) — Passed 3–0; amount $160,435.
- 26-0391: Award project C-26 (ASTI Sign Incorporated) — Passed 3–0; not to exceed $30,000.
- 26-0390: Unit W sewer and water reconstruction, Change Order No.1 — Passed 3–0; change $92,515; new contract total $2,678,100; contingency unchanged $60,000.
- 26-0392: Development agreement for Mission Ridge North (Dewitt Development Partners LLC) — Passed 3–0.
- 26-0393 (Clear Compliance purchase): Approved 3–0; $44,250.
- 26-0394: 2025–26 budget carryover appropriations — Passed 3–0.
- 26-0387: 2025 budget amendments — Passed 3–0.

What happens next
The approved contracts and amendments proceed under existing procurement and construction oversight procedures. Staff will follow up with the committee on the library fundraising details requested by Alder Crow and continue implementing projects funded with ARPA allocations as scheduled.

Sources and attribution
Statements and quotes in this article are drawn from the meeting transcript of the Appleton City Finance Committee meeting on March 23, 2026. Quotes are attributed to the meeting participants as identified in the record: the committee chair (speaker labelled "Chair"), Deputy Director Neuburg, Director Ullman and Alder Crow.