Charles City Council looks over street and sewer projects

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Council reviewed infrastructure projects and budget amendments during its workshop meeting on Wednesday, April 24.

The council looked over preliminary plans for the 2024 5th Avenue Watermain Looping project, which will connect two water lines on the east side of the city to improve flow and pressure for the system. Permits have been acquired to run the connecting line under the railroad running between the two water mains and the project is expected to be completed by the end of October.

The city plans to set a bid-letting date for May 29, with a public hearing to approve the project on June 3.

The council also discussed plans to extend 13th Street in anticipation of new residential development in the Southwest Development Park. Thirteenth Street is currently a dead-end street coming off of South Main Street near the Floyd County Medical Center. The extension will expand the street westward, connecting it with East Corporate Drive.

Plans for the project are scheduled to be approved during the May 6 meeting, along with the acquisition of right-of-way.

In other business, the council reviewed a lease agreement renewal between the city and Terry Wegner, who for many years has rented about eight acres of land near the Water Resource Recovery Facility to use as hay ground. The new three-year lease will charge $1,750 for the first year, $1,900 for the second year, and $2,100 for the third year.

The council expressed satisfaction that the land is seeing any use at all.

“It’s not a very desirable piece of ground,” said City Administrator Steve Diers. “To have somebody get some use out of it is good.”

As the June 30 end of the fiscal year approaches, City Clerk Trudy O’Donnell walked the council through the regular slate of budget amendments for the year, which are required to account for unplanned revenues and expenses that happen over the course of the year such as grant awards or changes in project timelines.

A public hearing will be set on May 6 so the budget amendments can be approved before the May 31 deadline.

In the city administrator report, Diers noted that the spring clean-up activities are going well and that delaying it a week because of bin availability has ended up working in the city’s favor by setting the clean-up period during a week of nice weather as opposed to last week’s heavy rains and winds.

Finally, the council discussed the latest developments in the effort to establish a public emergency medical service (EMS). Council member Patrick Lumley will be stepping away from the EMS Advisory Council, citing increased demands from his job leaving him without enough time to dedicate to the committee. The council members expressed their appreciation for both Lumley and the entire EMS council for the work that has been done thus far.

Regarding the EMS service itself, the Floyd County Board of Supervisors has decided to hold a vote to decide on an EMS essential services support tax levy in the upcoming November election, rather than at a special election. Knowing how little time there will be between the November vote and budget season, council member Phillip Knighten proposed the council begin to consider plans for next year’s budget for both a successful vote and a failed vote.