It wasn’t until the 2026 budget discussion along with the imminent Bolton & Menk contract renewal that City Council members requested Public Works Director Matt Morreim to pursue cost savings. At first, the staff was reluctant to pursue a solution, even appearing to defy the city council’s request. The staff even tried to influence City Council members with testimonials from previous employees and ex-council members referring to actions that occurred 15 years prior. It took 4 additional work sessions, countless hours of staff time and continued pressure from council members to develop a workable solution.
To reduce cost the new working model looks like this:
- Mr. Morreim and his staff will be transitioning 10 or more duties away from Bolton & Menk and will provide a quarterly report to the City Council showing detailed progress and cost savings.
- City staff will be responsible for working directly with residents unless Bolton & Menk engineering expertise is required.
- Last, a new “engineering technician” position may be considered to ensure future cost savings while maintaining steady oversight of engineering projects.
During the June 8th, 2026 city council worksession, Mr. Morreim stated that he believes the 2026 outside engineering costs will be reduced to just $500k for the entire year as there is minimal engineering work happening until 2027. As city council members have the final approval for future projects it’s imperative they are provided with accurate and timely information to make informed decisions.
Yes, SCA is proud to take credit for this change, but it could not have happened without concerned readers speaking up. Thank you! After bringing residents a win on FLOCK cameras and now engineering costs, we’re ready to share the next challenge.
More reading:
Shorewood spends Big on Engineering
Speaking Up Works!
