Schleisman: city is ?flying? on street work

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Unlike a couple of summers ago when weather impacted the Mt. Pleasant street construction, this summer?s projects have been humming along, city officials told the Mt. Pleasant City Council during its regular meeting Wednesday.

?We?re flying,? City Administrator Brent Schleisman told the council. ?They have started on the last phase of Mapleleaf this week, and you could see Baker Street (from Cherry Street west to Palm Street) open by the end of next week. Things are going well.?

Mayor Steve Brimhall concurred. ?We are way ahead of schedule from where we thought we would be,? he said.

Brimhall also said city revenues are higher than projected, meaning additional projects may be added. He wasn?t specific on what type of projects, saying, ?We can do more things, and we will be looking for some (projects) in the next month.?

Mt. Pleasant will be applying for a grant again to extend the city?s recreational trail system. The city is requesting a State of Iowa trails grant in the amount of $357,000 with a $119,300 local match.

?We tried last year and didn?t get it,? Schleisman said. ?This would connect the trail from Walmart to Iowa Avenue. It is a very competitive grant.?

Contracts were also awarded to firms to demolish buildings, construct a storage shed, and power wash, paint and install new gutters on two hangars at the municipal airport.

Big Creek Contracting was the successful bidder to demolish two buildings at McMillan Park. The firm will be paid $3,975 to tear down a block/brick building and $1,800 to demolish a wood framed building. Todd Barton also bid on both projects. The work must be completed by Aug. 3.

Weiler Builders LLC, of Bloomfield, was the successful bidder to construct a 60x64-foot frame building for the public works department and Mt. Pleasant Municipal Utilities (MPMU). The cost will be approximately $70,000 with the city and MPMU each paying one half of the cost. The city will use the building for the storage of salt, sand and rock.

Weiler also received the contract to install metal sheeting and roofing on three of the storage buildings located at the former Iowa Department of Transportation shop location, just west of Van Allen Elementary School. The cost will be $17,500. Funds for the work will be paid through the city?s road use tax fund.

Cooper Gutter, of Letts, received the pact on the final maintenance project ? power washing, painting and installing new gutters on two hangars at the municipal airport. Cooper will be paid $19,650.

Fiscal 2017 compensation was approved for city firefighters. Effective July 1, quarterly wages will be as follows: 20 firefighters, $874.54; fire chief, $1,276.43; assistant chief, $954.44; senior captain, captain, senior lieutenant and lieutenant, all $911.69.

Another wage increase will be given to the firefighters effective Jan. 1, 2017. As of that date, quarterly wages will be: 20 firefighters, $892.03; fire chief, $1,301.96; assistant chief, $973.53; senior captain, captain, senior lieutenant and lieutenant, all $929.92 quarterly.

Third readings were passed on three ordinances and the ordinances adopted. Ordinances include rezoning four properties along South Briarwood Lane from agricultural residential reserve to suburban residential; increasing the solid waste recycling and administrative fee from $3.45 per month to $3.55 effective July 1 (this is the fee charged to the city by the Des Moines County Solid Waste Commission); and limiting parking to two hours from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for three parking places in front of a commercial building at 204 S. Jefferson St.

The council also passed the second reading of a proposed rezoning from agricultural residential reserve to general retail and service commercial for a 10-acre tract of property at the intersection of East Linden Drive and South Iris Street.

Finally, the council approved mayoral reappointments of John Hendrickson and Ed Kropa to the library board and the appointment of Samantha Davis to the library board. Mike Gardner was reappointed to the airport advisory commission.

Council members will meet again in regular session Wednesday, July 13, at 5:30 p.m., at City Hall.