Charles City Council OKs beginning design work for 2024 street project

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Council worked on street projects, purchased new equipment, and prepared for the Halloween season during its regular meeting this week.

Along with setting new garbage rates and making a public commitment toward a train depot restroom project, as reported in the previous issue, the council also approved an engineering agreement with Veenstra & Kim Inc for the 2024 Main Street Rehabilitation Project.

At a cost not to exceed $98,500, the engineering agreement will cover preliminary engineering services through the project’s bid-letting next year.

The 2024 street project is planned to perform hot mix asphalt (HMA)  milling on Gilbert Street from South Jackson to South Main Street and on Main Street from Gilbert Street to Lane Street, along with reconstruction on Main Street from Main Street to North Grand Avenue.

The council also asked if options could be presented for resurfacing the bridge along the project route while they are at it, knowing that it will be some time before other improvements could be made.

“If it’s going to be 10 years from now, that’s going to be eight years of rough road,” said Mayor Dean Andrews.

Moving on to the one million gallon clearwell project, which was approved earlier this month, the council set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, regarding the loan and disbursement agreement for the project. The city is planning to seek approval to borrow up to $5.5 million for the project, which would be repaid through water utility revenue.

The winning bid for the project was $4,364,000, but City Engineer John Fallis said, “We want to have a little bit of a cushion. With any type of project there are always the unknowns.”

In other business, the council approved a Façade Improvement Fund application submitted by Todd Prichard for exterior work at the Prichard Law Office. Pritchard is requesting $2,650.80, which is the allowed 50 percent of the total project cost, to go toward replacement awning for the front of the building and to add awning to the back.

The council also approved a bid from Mid Country Machinery for the purchase of a new lift machine for the city. Superintendent Cory Spieker reported that the current lift, a manmade bucket attached to a wheel loader, no longer meets OSHA standards and that it was recommended that they use more appropriately designed equipment.

The lift will be used for installing seasonal decorations and banners, working on traffic lights and street lights, along with tree branch removal.

Receiving bids from two companies, Spieker recommended the lower bid from Mid Country Machinery. Spieker also noted that they had already rented the machine to give it a try and that the $2,250 rental fee would be deducted from the purchase price if approved.

“I like that you guys have had a chance to use it and test it,” said council member Keith Starr.

The city has $125,000 budgeted for equipment for the fiscal year. Much of that money was planned to be used to purchase a new dump truck, so purchasing the lift will likely delay replacing the dump truck until next year.

Getting ready for the spooky season, the council approved a street closure request for the 27th annual SpookWalk, which will be held at Riverfront Park on Monday, Oct. 24, with a back-up date of Thursday, Oct. 27, in the case of inclement weather.

In addition, Mayor Dean Andrews suggested that Halloween Trick-or-Treating be scheduled for Monday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. Andrews noted that having trick-or-treating scheduled for the Saturday before was considered, but most of those he had talked to preferred to have Halloween on the 31st.

Nothing was ultimately decided and an official date and time will be set at a future meeting.

Finally, due to a scheduling conflict, the council moved the date of its next workshop meeting from Wednesday, Sept. 28, to Monday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m.