Lawmakers divided on budget’s construction borrowing 

Published: March 22, 2013
Tags: budget, Building Commission, construction spending, Dean Kaufert, Fred Risser, Gordon Hintz, Jim Doyle, Joan Ballweg, Scott Walker, WisDOT

In defending his $1.45 billion state construction budget announced this week, Gov. Scott Walker pointed out that it would borrow less than his Democratic predecessor’s last construction budget.

Dems join Walker in support of state construction budget 

Published: March 21, 2013
Tags: Building Commission, Dean Kaufert, Fred Risser, Gordon Hintz, Joan Ballweg, WisDOT

State Democrats joined Republican Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday in turning down two Republicans’ call to reduce borrowing for state construction projects by $28 million over the next two years.

Proposed budget measure leans on general contractors 

Published: February 21, 2013
Tags: AGC, Building Commission, construction manager at risk, Gordon Hintz, Jeff Beiriger, Jim Boullion, multiple prime, project delivery, single prime, Specialty Contractors of Wisconsin

Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed project-delivery reform would give general contractors near total responsibility for a state project’s outcome while preventing them from choosing their subcontractors.

AGC urges more discussion on project-delivery reform 

Published: February 19, 2013
Tags: ABC, AGC, Building Commission, Gordon Hintz, Jim Boullion, John Mielke, project delivery, single prime

A construction trade group is urging Gov. Scott Walker not to pursue project-delivery reform through the state budget without first soliciting opinions from the industry.

State OKs construction manager for UW theater job 

Published: September 28, 2011
Tags: Bob Brandherm, Building Commission, Camp Randall Stadium, CMAR, construction manager at risk, Dave Miller, Division of State Facilities, Gordon Hintz, Higher Education Subcommittee, McClain Center, Memorial Union, multiple-prime bidding, project delivery, single-prime bidding, University of Wisconsin System, UW System, Van Wanggaard

The University of Wisconsin System can use construction-manager-at-risk for its Memorial Union theater project, but the bid opening must be transparent.

Walker’s request brings uncertainty to Charter Street Heating Plant

Published: November 15, 2010
Tags: Appleton, Boldt, Charter Street Heating Plant, Charter Street power plant, Gordon Hintz, Madison, Niesen, Scott Walker, Sierra Club, The Boldt Co., Werwie, Wisconsin Building Commission, Wisconsin Department of Administration

By James Briggs If Gov.-elect Scott Walker wants to radically redraw plans to convert a Madison power plant, the contractor behind the project would sure like to know what the changes entail. The Boldt Co., Appleton, is waiting for clarification on what Walker meant last week when he requested in a letter to the state [...]

County tax limits threaten roadwork

By Paul Snyder La Crosse County has more than $20 million in highway work it cannot afford. And unless a bill to repeal a 17-year-old tax limit becomes law, County Administrator Steve O’Malley said, the situation will get worse: The county will have to lay off Highway Department staff members. “Right now, we can only [...]

Green building bill splits industry

By Paul Snyder Builders, local officials and school board members are at odds over the value of a bill that would mandate green construction on public projects. But that mixed reaction is not affecting state Rep. Louis Molepske Jr., D-Stevens Point, who said Thursday he wants to get his bill to the governor’s desk before [...]