The Eagle Grove City Council continues to meet via Zoom, addressing a number of issues at their Monday evening, April 5 meeting with all council members in attendance.
With no one wishing to speak during the public forum, the council moved forward to unanimously approve the consent items which included building permits for Ben Franklin (greenhouse), fences for Christopher Struylk, AI VanJaarsveld, Antonio Schmidt and Adriana Anderson, and a breakroom for AGP.
At 6:34 p.m., the council began a public hearing on the plan, specifications, form of contract, and engineer’s estimate of cost regarding the 2021 Street Improvement Project. City Administrator Bryce Davis told the council about the NW 1st St project which will be divided into three divisions after bids are let on April 15, 2021. It will include manhole replacements and storm replacements. The bid will dictate how traffic is rerouted and how far the project goes. They would like to do Iowa to Western, but the project will start with Iowa to Lincoln as the first division. The public hearing closed at 6:38 p.m.
“We’ve had a lot of interest in (the project)…so I’m hopeful we’ll get some competitive bids,” said Davis.
Matt Jergens made the motion to approve moving forward with the project followed by a second from Sonya Middleton. The council unanimously passed the measure.
Davis also asked the council to consider a Change Order No.1 in the amount of $98,723.00 to Wicks Construction for full-width resurfacing, additional working days, and other associated work for the 2020 Downtown Streetscape Project. The plans and specifications previously approved had concrete road patches. The request was to have Fort Dodge Asphalt come in and dig down 1.5 miles of asphalt and pour fresh asphalt on all three blocks of the downtown Streetscape project (100 – 300 block of Broadway) so it is all new and uniform.
“It will give us a little better product and aesthetics,” commented Davis.
He added that the last time new asphalt was laid was an estimated 15 – 20 years ago.
Al Pamperin made the motion to approve with a second by Josh Schild. It passed unanimously.
The council next review Resolution 2021-18: A Resolution authorizing the use of a preliminary official statement for the sale of General Obligation Annual Appropriation Urban Renewal Bonds, Series 2021A. Davis explained that authorizing the use. A motion was made to approve by Sonya Middleton with a second by Chase Quintus. After the motion, Jergens asked for further discussion.
“I’m for this project, I just don’t want it to fall on the taxpayers’ shoulders,” he said.
The motion passed unanimously.
Finally, the council reviewed Resolution 2021-19: A Resolution Authorizing Execution of the Amended and Substituted 28E Agreement between the City of Eagle Grove and the North Central Iowa Regional Solid Waste Agency. Davis said there were minor changes to the agreement.
“It hasn’t been updated for many years,” added Mayor Sandy McGrath.
Davis pointed out that the agreement specified a June 26 hazardous waste clean-up day for Eagle Grove.
Chase Quintus motioned to approve, followed by a second from Al Pamperin. The motion passed unanimously.
Eagle Grove Chief of Police Ray Beltran was on hand during the Zoom meeting to give his department report. He was proud to report to the council that Officer Williams would be holding his first D.A.R.E. graduation for RBMS fifth graders on Tuesday, April 6 at 2:30 p.m. He was also happy to report that he hasn’t heard anything as far as major traffic problems related to the Streetscape project, but someone did hit the stop sign in the middle of the Broadway and Commercial intersection.
Beltran went on to tell the council that they would be holding interviews this Saturday as they look to hire an eighth officer. March report numbers for the police department included 340 calls, 89 traffic stops, eight domestic calls, amongst other things. He concluded his report saying Fareway has agreed to do another “Round Up” promotion as a fundraiser for the police department. It is scheduled for early June.
Davis rounded-out the meeting with his administrator report saying that he and Beltran and Public Works Director Robert Lunda worked together to define a route for the 2021 Wright County Fair Parade that would avoid construction work. They have given it to the Fair Board to discuss at their next meeting.
Davis said he has also been working on some economic development projects that he wants to present in the near future, explaining the ideas he has been working on.
Pamperin asked Davis where the City is sitting with nuisance notices. Davis said they have issued seven dilapidated building notices and two property owner violations amongst other things. They also discussed rental inspections which were made more difficult due to COVID.
The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be held Monday, April 19.
