A generator has been approved for the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center.
The city had previously bid for a generator in late August, but bids came in much higher than anticipated for the project. The city did some minor work on the requests and bids this time were much more favorable.
Hawkeye Electrical Contractors of Cedar Rapids was the winning bidder of the five bidders on the project, for an amount of $194,462. Engineer’s estimate for the project was $250,000, which means the bid was 22 percent below the engineer’s estimate.
City administrator Chris Nosbisch said that it was a great bid, and $100,000 of that cost was from a grant from American Rescue Plan Act funds distributed from Linn County, with the remainder coming from local option sales tax.
The generator will allow the LBCC to be used as a heating and cooling location during weather emergencies moving forward. All city buildings now have back-up generators to allow them to be used as shelters.
Nosbisch said that the derecho was an eye opener for many about the need for more resources like shelters in the case of an emergency. The LBC would be able to house 200 people during an emergency.
During emergencies, City Hall is used as a location where people who need medical monitoring while they sleep (oxygen or C-PAP) are usually allowed to stay overnight.
Nosbisch said his biggest fear and reason for getting a generator at the LBC wasn’t due to storms like the derecho, but for things like ice storms that impact the area.
MV citizens need to schedule appointments for water meter replacements
City administrator Chris Nosbisch said 220 residents need to schedule their initial appointment with Ferguson to get their water meter replaced to a radio water meter.
Those who have not scheduled their replacement will receive a door hanger from the city reminding them to do so. Ferguson’s contract extends through a certain amount of days, not number of meters replaced. If meters are not replaced at that point, they will be the responsibility of the city to replace.
“At that point, citizens who did not have the meter replaced could pay an additional fee until the work is finished, or they could have their water turned off until the meter is replaced,” Nosbisch said.
Currently, 1,100 meters have been replaced in the community, and Ferguson is continuing work.
As to homes who have identified lead service line pipes, future communication will be sent from the city about the need to remove and replace those pipes.
Pool change orders total $165,000
The council also approved $165,000 in change orders to the pool project.
Changes included the Linn County permit for the work being accomplished, replacing an electrical panel to a safer area for staff to access, further repairs discovered as work was ongoing to the pool basing and improving lighting both underwater and above ground to the pool.
City administrator Chris Nosbisch said that those improvements were in line with what was expected for the project, and an additional $250,000 in excess remains on the project.
Contractors are working to get the concrete work finished in November and apply the appropriate coating to those areas of the pool before winter fully sets in.
“So far, 15 percent of the new deck is poured,” Nosbisch said. “The rain has slightly delayed or slowed down the project, so we are hoping for more days of sun to help get this completed.”