City finds farm ground bid in city hall drop box

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Check those drop boxes.

That?s what Mt. Pleasant City Council members and staff learned recently. The council was to award a bid during its Oct. 14 meeting for the lease of approximately 75 acres of farm ground surrounding the municipal airport.

But the resolution was halted when the council thought it did not have any bids.

Following the report of the meeting, which indicated no bids had been received, Chuck Allen, who currently leases the ground, called the city and said he had placed a bid in the drop box of the north door of city hall. No city staff person could remember if the drop box was checked on Oct. 14.

City Attorney Patrick Brau ruled that the bid was valid, saying, ?There is no evidence that contradicts Chuck Allen?s report that he delivered the bid prior to the council meeting of Oct. 14, 2015.

?It is my recommendation that the city accept the bid of Chuck Allen, as submitted Oct. 14, 2015,? Brau continued during the City Council meeting on Wednesday. ?We do have a requirement that the bids be submitted in person to the city clerk, or by U.S. mail. No other party will be prejudiced, since no other bids were received until after Oct. 14, 2015.?

Allen submitted a bid of $175 per acre for the one-year lease. He paid $285 per acre this year to farm the land.

Following approving the bid, the council approved the hiring of Warner Engineering, of Mt. Pleasant, to oversee the construction of a storm sewer project in 2016 on Harvey Drive. The firm will be paid $17,800 for its work.

The storm sewer project, which will be on the south side of Mapleleaf Drive from Grand Avenue to Harvey Street, will hopefully be done before the Mapleleaf Drive construction project, also set for next summer.

?It correlates with the Mapleleaf project,? City Administrator Brent Schleisman noted. ?We want to eliminate some storm water that could impact Mapleleaf and also want to do some storm water retention. We are trying to avoid having a flash flood on the streets during heavy rain.?

Mayor Steve Brimhall noted the project (Mapleleaf) is a large one and one that falls in the ?short-term pain for long-term gain? category. ?It should improve things when done. In the meantime, it will be no fun at all.?

In other business, the council set the date to receive bids for the mowing of Forest Home and Old City cemeteries. Bids must be received by Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 4 p.m., in the city clerk?s office. The council will award the bid during its meeting at 5:30 p.m., on Nov. 10.

During city staff reports, Jack Swarm, city building and zoning administrator, reported that the city issued its 94th building permit of the year on Oct. 1, which equals the total number issued in 2015.

City Public Works Director Rick Mullin said his department would be putting up Christmas lights on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Council members will meet next on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m., in City Hall. The council usually meets on the second Wednesday of the month, but due to Veterans Day the meeting will be held one day earlier.