Waukesha Continues Heavy Spending On Water Diversion Consultants

From the August, 2013 Waukesha Water Utility Commission meeting minutes:

Another $284,000 for diversion grant application technical consulting to CH2M Hill.

From the January, 2013 meeting minutes:

Another $107,520 for 12 months lobbying and consulting to Martin Schreiber and Associates.

Also, up to another $29,500 to Donald F. Roecker, and up to another $57,000 for Barbour Griffith & Rogers. "Same fees as 2012. Federal funding."

This blog has intermittently reviewed and reported on these contracts over the years. Sample posts from this year, here,and from this January, 2009 posting also referencing GeoSyntec, a consulting firm which CH2M Hill (above) replaced to finish drafting the city's as-yet-to-be-completed Lake Michigan diversion application:

...GeoSyntec's 2008 contract be boosted by another $54,000, bringing the 2008 total to $183,400... 

GeoSyntec has been a Waukesha contractor for several years, and has been paid in the $75,000 to $100,000 range annually.... 

And some details from a 2010 posting:

From the December 2009 water utility minutes: 

APPROVE FUNDING ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT FOR LONG-TERM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS 

[Utility General Manager Daniel] Duchniak recommended approving the 2009 Funding Assistance Agreement with Donald F. Roecker for an amount of $32,500, and with Barbour, Griffith & Rogers for an amount of $63,000. 

Discussion: Earmarks. Current & future requests. Excellent interaction between Barbour, Griffith & Rogers and Donald Roecker. Workload increase. Maintained same rates/contract amounts. Two separate contracts. Not to exceed amounts. History with consultants. Results. Allocations received for fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 2007.

MOTION BY ROEKER, SECOND BY NELSON, TO APPROVE THE FEDERAL FUNDING CONTRACT WITH DONALD F. ROECKER FOR AN AMOUNT OF $32,500, AND WITH BARBOUR GRIFFITH & ROGERS FOR AN AMOUNT OF $63,000. MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. 

[blogger note: Roecker works on federal funding, as does the Barbour lobbying firm in Washington, DC - - now BGR.] 

From the January 2010 water utility minutes: 

6. NEW WATER SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS 

Duchniak recommended approving the New Water Supply Development Contracts with CH2M Hill for an hourly, not to exceed, amount of $115,500, and with MSA for a monthly fee of $12,800 for a total of $153,600. 

CH@M Hill is the consulting company that replaced GeoSyntec and Cadmus, which had held a similar contracts for several years before the utility changed contractors late in 2009. 

From the March 2010 water utility minutes: 

7. APPROVE CHANGE ORDER NO. 2 TO CH2M HILL WATER SUPPLY CONTRACT 

Duchniak recommended approval of the second Change Order to the CH2M Hill Contract for Great Lakes Compact Application Support for an hourly not to exceed amount of $94,000, for a total contract of $322,000.