City Council and utility trustees have joint meeting

The New London City Council met on July 10, 2023 with City Councilman Scott Campbell absent and Councilman Travis Benz participating via phone. The Council was joined by the Utility Trustees that included Jerry Wilhelm, Bob Byczek, Jodi Jackson, Craig Nelson, and Jean Westerbeck. They approved the joint meeting agenda.

In new business, they took the following actions:

•Approved renewal of the current employee health insurance with Wellmark BC/BS for 2023-2024 by both the Council and Utility Trustees.

•Approved the transfer of an additional $5,600 into the health insurance self-funding account to cover several large claims processed recently by the City Council. The Trustees approved a transfer of $4,400 for the same reasons.

The joint meeting between the Council and Trustees voted to adjourn at 6:25 p.m. The regular meeting of the NL City Council started at 6:25 p.m. They Council approved the agenda, the consent agenda, and no one addressed the Council in open forum.

In reports: Devin Swanson, the new police officer, was sworn in before the meeting started. Also, the City Engineer Matt Walker and Mayor Miller made a final walk-through of the second addition to the South Pine Street Subdivision. The infrastructure work looks good.

In old business, the Council had a discussion about the seeding for the sponsored Project. The seeding, done by Four Seasons Excavation & Landscaping as part of the project, did not grow. The City will withhold part of the final payment to Four Seasons so the City can pay for the reseeding. They approved withholding $3,000 from the retainage owed to Four Seasons to complete the seeding to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s specifications.

The Council then moved on to new business. They took the following actions:

•Approved pay estimate #6 to Jones Contracting for the second addition of the Pine Street Subdivision for $6,606.26.

•Approved pay estimate #1 to Hickey Contracting for the North Division Street paving and storm sewer project for $17,867.22.

•Approved the quote of $48,531.40 from L.L. Pelling Co.to seal coat South St., Polk St., W. Madison St., McKinley St., Cottonwood St., and Wilson St.

The last bit of new business is reseeding E. Cleveland St. right-of-way where grass didn’t grow but weeds did. The Council would like Mike Phillips to reseed this fall.

The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m. The next regular meeting of the New London City Council will be Aug. 14, 2023 at 6 p.m. in the City Office