West Point firm receives bid for Baker Street work

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Mt. Pleasant?s City Council paved the way during its regular meeting Wednesday for the extension of Baker Street west to Palm Street.

The area implicated is just south of the Walmart Supercenter. Currently, Baker Street ends at the west end of the Walmart property.

Six construction firms submitted bids on the project. Jones Contracting Co., of West Point, had the low bid of $134,677. Bids ranged upward to $167,489.16. The engineer?s estimate for the project was $166,594.25.

Councilman Kent White, a member of the street committee, said the extension of Baker Street would relieve some of the pressure on other routes ? Lincoln Street, Mapleleaf Drive and Winfield Avenue ? to the Walmart Supercenter.

With reconstruction on Mapleleaf Drive this summer, there is even more of a need to alleviate the pressure on roadways in the area.

The project also will include sidewalks along the street and the scheduled date for the completion of construction is Aug. 31.

Another street matter had the council passing the second reading of a proposed ordinance prohibiting parking on North Lincoln Street on the east side from the intersection of East Baker Street.

?This is a safety issue,? White said. ?The visibility is restricted in the area.?

A second reading also was passed on an ordinance establishing an administration fee of $25 for nuisance abatements. ?It is a fee for staff time handling nuisance abatements,? explained Councilman Terry McWilliams. ?It is a minimal charge compared to other communities.?

?It probably costs us more than $25,? Mayor Steve Brimhall said, ?but we will start there.?

City health insurance premiums are rising 23.4 percent in fiscal year 2017, council members were told. The increase comes after several years of decreases, City Administrator Brent Schleisman said. ?We actually are paying the same rate as we did in 2012,? he noted. ?We have had a couple of years of decreases.?

?Basically, they (Wellmark) have lost money on us, so nobody wants us,? stated Councilman Steve Engberg, who also is an insurance agent. ?It would cost us more to change companies.?

Mt. Pleasant is purchasing a new fire truck. The council took several steps clearing the way for the purchase. First of all, council members approved a truck trade resolution between the Mt. Pleasant Benefited Fire District and the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department. The city is trading its 1997 pumper truck to the benefited district for the district?s 1988 rebuilt truck (which has a 2007 chassis).

The city will then trade in the former benefited district?s truck for the 2016 truck. Total price of the new pumper truck is $449,809, which includes a $40,000 trade-in allowance.

?We?re swapping trucks with the benefited fire district,? remarked Schleisman. ?Our fire truck (that is being given to the benefited fire district) has a newer body. The trade value of the truck we are receiving from the benefited fire district is higher, so it is a win-win scenario.?

A final street matter had the council approving a change order to the Mapleleaf reconstruction project, which will increase the cost of the project $290,468.27.

The change order includes an addition of a 10-foot recreational trail from Iris Street to Grand Avenue. Brimhall said when the city bid the project, it did not know if it would receive a grant for the trail but since has received a grant. The second part of the contract involved incorrect quantities of pavement for the construction between Cherry Street and Grand Avenue.

In final action, the council approved the appointment of Wolfgang Schumacher to the fire department reserve unit.

Council members meet again in regular session on Wednesday, April 27, at 5:30 p.m., in the council chambers of City Hall.