Counties, road builders try to compromise on jobs (10:01 a.m. 7/2/09)

Published: July 2, 2009

Paul Snyder
paul.snyder@dailyreporter.com

Wisconsin county highway administrators will meet with road builders this month to work toward agreement on divvying up work between counties and private firms.

Although argument has bubbled for years between the two parties on working on jobs with private money, it recently boiled over into the state budget debate. Road builders prompted the state Senate to add a provision requiring counties to competitively bid on any projects costing more than $25,000 and forbidding counties to work on municipal projects in the absence of a legitimate bidder.

That amendment drew fire from several county officials, and the special legislative conference committee pared back language to prevent counties from working on any projects using private money.

Ultimately, Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed that language, calling it “overly broad” in his veto message.

Now county highway officials and road builders groups, including the Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association and Construction Business Group, have until Aug. 17 to come to an agreement on private work for a standalone bill.

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