Marengo talks sanitary sewers
Brian Rathjen
brathjen@registermedia.com
Discussion turned to sanitary sewer agreements and wastewater treatment facilities in Marengo Wednesday, March 8.
Council members, in a series of motions, approved professional service agreements for two sanitary sewer projects – known as the Cherry Street and Iowa Valley projects – and a treatment plan for the wastewater treatment facility.
For each of the projects, Veenstra and Kimm will be providing planning and engineering services. Representatives of the Coralville-based firm, which serves as the city's engineer, were on hand to explain each project.
The Cherry Street project, which involves water infrastructure improvements in the area of Cherry Street and Meadowmere Drive, has an estimated price tag of $52,170, with plans to be done by July 1.
The Iowa Valley project will piggyback off a project by the Iowa Valley School District, which is redoing its storm sewer for the school. The system extends just off May Street and run a straight pipe over the existing system, according to V and K engineer Eric Gould of the project that has an expected price of around $66,700. The school is doing a cost share.
"The storm sewer runs at an angle to the northeast toward the north end of the football field where the current pipe goes, so that's going to be under the parking lot, so there's not very good lighting," explained mayor Mark Swift. "What they're going to do is straighten it out and have it go dead east toward the football field and connect to the storm system there."
Gould said the project has to be done by May 15 to allow for parking lot paving. About 400 feet of pipe will be laid, and is a city line that will serve the school.
"We have to have our pipe laid so they can connect that manhole," he said. In response to a question about the tight time frame, Gould said, "It is doable."
Both projects will have bids received by Thursday, April 6, with a contract awarded Wednesday, April 12, and a notice to proceed the following week.
The wastewater treatment facility evaluation is required by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Emily Linebaugh of V and K explained that the plan is to evaluate alternatives to meet required effluent limitations and to set forth a recommendation and schedule for improvements to address any findings and provide capacity for long-term growth of the city.
The scope of the project involves, among other recommendations, a review of the performance of the wastewater treatment facility for the past five years, a review of flows to the facility for the past five years, review of physical capabilities of the plant to provide reliable and ongoing wastewater treatment and to meet current and anticipated effluent requirements.
All votes to proceed were 4-0, with Greg Jergens absent.
NEW POLICE CAR
The end is nigh for one of the vehicles in the Marengo Police Department's aging fleet.
Council members voted to approve the purchase of a Ford Explorer Interceptor, through Capper Auto Group, at a cost of $27,674.14.
The motion was for the vehicle itself, and not for outfitting the vehicle, according to police chief Galen Moser. Loan documents will be approved at a future meeting, and it was thought that a local bank should help finance the purchase.
A second police vehicle is slated to be purchased later in the 2018 fiscal year, with a rotation system put in place thereafter.
The council also approved:
* A resolution approving the Iowa Offset Program appeal process, a means for the city to collect debts due to the city way of capturing moneys due by a debtor from the state of Iowa. The city has an unwritten appeals process in place, but officials determined it is better to have a written one in place.
* The fiscal year 2018 budget of $3.143 million, with a tax rate of $13.97 per $1,000 assessed valuation of property.
* Closing the 100 block of East Washington Street, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 8, for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's bags tournament. Funds will benefit the LLS, whose aim is funding research, finding cures and ensuring access to treatments for blood cancer patients.