MP City Council paves the way for two new streets

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Summer construction season has not yet begun.

The Mt. Pleasant City Council, however, took a step in that direction during their regular meeting Tuesday night, awarding a contract for East Savannah and Prairie Street construction projects.

Shipley Construction of Burlington, who will also be finishing up work on the North Iris Street project this spring, will construct the two streets in the Crossroads Business Park which is located just east of Hy-Vee.

One of the roads will run north-south and the other east-west. City leaders say that finishing the infrastructure work at the park will open approximately 20 acres of land for development.

Six firms bid on the project, and Shipley?s bid of $344,191.19 was just over $4,000 under the $348,649.26 bid of Mike Nelson Concrete Paving Co. of Burlington. The engineer?s estimate for the project was $366,928.18.

Engineer Jim Warner of Warner Engineering noted that three of the bids were over his estimate and three under it. The high bid for the work was from Cornerstone Excavating, Inc., of Washington at $474,923.01.

Mt. Pleasant received a RISE grant of approximately $100,000 to be used on the project. There is no start date listed in the contract but work must be completed by Aug. 15.

In other financial matters, the council passed a resolution to borrow $2,190,000 to finance the completion of the North Iris Street reconstruction project, reconstruction of Mapleleaf Drive (summer of 2016) and purchase a new fire truck.

City leaders also approved the refinancing of $3,900,000 in general obligation notes which will save the city approximately $200,000 in interest payments.

Sewer and sanitation rates will be rising soon as first readings of ordinances regarding both were approved Tuesday night.

The monthly sanitary sewer flow rate fees will increase from $4.40 per 1,000 gallons of water to $4.60. ?This is due to Department of Natural Resources (DNR) permits,? explained City Administrator Brent Schleisman. ?We have several million dollars of work to do in the next several years to meet (the requirements) of these permits.?

Sanitation rates are being raised because the Des Moines County Regional Solid Waste Commission is increasing its cost from $3.35 to $3.46 per month for the recycling and administrative fee. The city base rate is going from $2.50 to $2.75 per month.

WEMIGA Waste was hired to handle spring clean-up at a cost of $16,500. ?This is one of the most popular things the city does,? noted Mayor Steve Brimhall. ?It gets rid of a lot of things that would end up in county ditches.?

?Basically, it is a big garage sale,? added Councilman Steve Engberg.

Bob Gerdes, president of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion Board of Directors, updated the council on plans for this year?s reunion which is Sept. 3-7.

The reunion is asking for the use of McMillan Park from Aug. 3-Sept. 11 to provide ample time to set up for the reunion and clear the area following the event. Plans call for the major exhibit areas to be set up Aug. 22-23 with the traction steam engines placed by Aug. 23.

?We will continue to emphasize families and family fun,? Gerdes said. He reported that future plans include updating the restrooms and to increase the number of sanitation stations.

This year?s reunion will include the appearance of a woodcarver who will be performing chainsaw art, Gerdes said.

?Without the help and cooperation from the city, Midwest Old Threshers would not be possible,? Gerdes remarked.

Brimhall, in closing remarks, said the city ?is going to see some activity in the next six months. There are a lot of people coming in to talk to the building and zoning administrator.

In final business, the council:

? Passed the third reading and adopted an ordinance setting electrical permit fees;

? Passed the third reading and adopted an ordinance adopting the National Electrical Code and establishing electrician license requirements.

Council members meet again in regular session Wednesday, March 25, at 5:30 p.m.