Council gives support for water quality improvement project

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

Bids will be received Thursday for the WRRF (waste water recovery facility) project that could possibly be completed in Charles City by May of 2022.

A program that is tied to the construction of that new $18 million wastewater treatment plant received a vote of confidence from the City Council at a regular meeting held on Monday.

The council passed a resolution approving the statement of work for an Iowa Partners in Conservation Grant that could help with water quality and stormwater management in rural Charles City.

Charles City was awarded $1 million for the sponsored project, to provide technical assistance to the Charles City Watershed Management Plan in the Upper Cedar Watershed.

The proposed WRRF project allowed Charles City to be able to receive the grant money.

“It all comes back and hinges on that,” said Diers, who said the $18 million project has received interest from bidders.

The sponsored project includes staffing and project implementation and is budgeted for $945,000. Just over $500,000 of that total will be used for the urban and rural best management practices in and outside of the city.

“That $500,000 that we’re spending on those projects we leveraged into this grant application,” said Diers.

Approximately $435,000 of that federal grant money would be directed to staff a position to oversee the various watershed projects. The position would last for five years and Diers is looking to have that person staffed by this November.

The Iowa Soybean Association has been working with Charles City to put together the sponsored project. The Iowa Partners in Conservation Grant is between Charles City, the United States Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Conservation Services.

The Floyd County Soil and Water Conservation District would oversee and house the hired position.

Other action taken at the meeting is as follows:

– A public hearing date of Sept. 3 was set for the 2019 Drainage Improvement Project. No action was taken on the plans and specifications because the city is still waiting on easements back from some of the property owners. The project includes improvements to the Highway 18 storm water drainage in the 1100 block of South Grand, a diversion ditch in the 500 and 600 blocks of J Street and site drainage at the Charles City Arts Center.

– The council also gave the green light for Calhoun Burns and Associates to complete an evaluation report for repair work done on the Main Street Bridge. The fee for engineering services is for $22,500. The estimated cost to repair the bridge is $325,000.

– A design plan by Fehr Graham Engineering for $15,000 to study drainage issues at South Johnson and Oliver Streets was approved.

– The council authorized a final payment of over $8,500 to Heartland Asphalt for work done on the 2018 HMA Paving Project. Work was completed at a cost of over $146,000. The bid for the project was $151,000.