Waukesha City finance committee approves $319,000 for City Hall security upgrades

The Waukesha City Finance Committee voted 4-0 on June 30 to amend the capital budget by allocating $319,000 to the City Hall Security Improvements Project, a package of measures city staff said are designed to protect front-line employees and maintain public service access.

Staff member Rebecca Peterson, communications and engagement manager, told the committee that a review by the police and public works departments followed a rise in disruptive incidents at City Hall and that "employees have actually resigned from their position stating that they did not feel safe in their work environment." She outlined four primary elements of the proposal: update building access levels, install barriers to protect exterior utility access points, standardize internal and external room numbering, and install ballistic-rated glass at the clerk/treasurer and engineering/customer-service counters.

Joe Welter, the city's facilities and construction manager in engineering, provided technical detail on the plan, saying the city would add card-reader access at key staff circulation points, pick up additional camera coverage for soft spots, add access-controlled doors between staff-only circulation and public counters, and install bollards and other vehicle protections at building access points. He noted an internal audit found "roughly 50 signs" without room numbering and said the quoted glass price includes design and implementation.

Chief Thompson of the Waukesha Police Department supported the upgrades, recounting violence at other municipal facilities and urging the committee to act. "A gentleman came in, and took a handgun to start firing shots into the district station," Chief Thompson said, as an example of why protective barriers and clear door numbering help first responders and staff.

Committee members questioned timing and alternatives. Chair (speaker 1) and others asked why the project was not included in the 2027 capital improvement plan; city finance staff (speaker 6) said accumulated interest earnings and existing fund balance make the funds available now and that moving forward now would avoid waiting through the CIP schedule. Staff also said any individual contracts would still be competitively bid and brought back for approval as required.

Committee member Doreen moved to recommend amending the capital budget to allocate $319,000 for the City Hall Security Improvements Project (business item ID 2603985); another committee member seconded the motion. A voice roll call recorded Wooderson, Henderson, Matthews and Lemke as voting "aye," and the chair announced the motion passed 4 to 0.

The committee directed staff to proceed with design and procurement planning that will consider service continuity during tax and election periods; staff noted the security-glass installation will require a design effort and careful scheduling to avoid peak public-service times. The finance committee also set a schedule reminder: the next finance committee meeting is July 14 and the first CIP-focused meeting will be August 25 at the City Garage.

The amendment funds design and initial procurement only; contracts and construction timing will follow standard bid and approval processes as staff completes the design phase.