Facility Study

SUMMARY

In 2018, the City of West Allis had McKinstry, a national engineering consulting firm, provide an action plan for the replacement of the City’s Public Works Facility (reference Legislation Text File # R-2017-0448). The primary purpose of this analysis is to enable the City of West Allis to chart the best path forward for the long-term stability and success of the Department of Public Works, taking into account budget estimates for various options, the current and future needs of Public Works employees, known space available, and the input of City stakeholders. 

While the City’s Department of Public Works maintains an excellent maintenance and service record and responds very quickly to the needs of City residents, the growing requirements placed on the Department and its employees are outpacing what the current Public Works infrastructure can support. The McKinstry team identified the following significant conditions that are currently beginning to degrade, or will soon degrade, the Department’s ability to provide the same excellent service the citizens of West Allis are accustomed to receiving: 

1. Inadequate space for indoor vehicle circulation and maintenance operations, which delays equipment repair, worsens indoor air quality (IAQ), and forces valuable equipment to remain outside during harsh weather. 

2. Inadequate space for employee training, break rooms, locker rooms, and restrooms, which degrades morale and causes avoidable lags in service delivery. 

3. Inefficient building performance due to aging infrastructure and deferred maintenance, which increases wasted energy and utility expenses, and causes premature deterioration of assets. 

4. Poor physical work environment, which contributes to turnover and excessive stress on current employees. 

All of these deficiencies cost more time and money by decreasing equipment longevity, decreasing asset control management, decreasing communication and supervision between the staff, and increasing risk exposure for potential losses and claims. Although the Public Works staff has admirably worked with what they have, the City has a financial incentive to replace the current Public Works facility.  

 In 2021, the Common Council will explore the proposed options and make a determination regarding the most cost-effective, strategic plan to ensure the long-term vitality of our Public Works Department’s operations, which may include renovating the current facility, constructing a new facility at the current site, or seeking a new location within the City for Public Works operations. 

RELATED files and videos

• Committee of the Whole Presentation Video
• Committee of the Whole PowerPoint (PDF)
• DPW Facilities Evaluation Excerpt - McKinstry (PDF)
• Inefficiencies at Public Works - McKinstry Report (PDF)
• Site Selection and Programming Report - Barrientons (PDF)

PUBLIC INPUT WANTED

 Share your thoughts and feedback regarding the future of the Public Works facility in this form.