Council awards bid for water improvements

By Shelia Tomkins

The Guttenberg city council awarded a contract for water system improvements to Top Grade Excavating, the low bidder at $1,214,618. 

The action came at the council's regular monthly meeting on March 11. Bids were opened prior to the meeting. Ryan Hosch of Veenstra and Kimm, Inc., the city's consulting firm for the project, noted that there were nine bidders with a big spread between the highest and lowest bid. V&K Engineers will review the low bid with Top Grade. Awarding of the contract is contingent upon all requirements of the funding being met by the contractor. 

The project area will be on First Street from Main to Koerner Street, then on Koerner from First Street to River Park Drive, then on River Park Drive from Koerner to Schiller with some offshoots on side streets. The project is first of three phases.

The major part of funding for the project will come from a $500,000 grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. There were no public comments about the water system improvements at the public hearing held prior to the meeting.

Electric rates

The council gave final approval to an ordinance that will increase electric rates for residential and commercial customers. 

The ordinance had two previous considerations prior to passage at Monday night's meeting. The increase will be used to help maintain the city's electric infrastructure. 

The city operates its own municipal electric system, and the last electric rate increase was in 2018.  

  The ordinance provides for an increase in the base rate for all eight classes of customers, from residential to various levels of commercial use. 

Residential customers will see a base rate increase of $3.75 per month, from the current rate of $6.25 to $10 per month. The increase will take effect following publication of the ordinance and is expected to be reflected on the bill that residents receive in April. 

Water and sewer rates

The council approved the first reading of an ordinance that addresses water and sewer rate increases. 

The ordinance does not change the current planned rate increases but rather spells out fees and includes a table with rates for the next five years. It replaces the current ordinance that calls for annual 3% rate increases; the new ordinance lists specific dollar amounts rather than the more vague 3% wording. City Manager Jamie Blume told the council that the clarified wording would be more acceptable to auditors.    

The next increase will take effect on July 1 of this year, when the minimum water bill (2,000 gallons or less) will be $31.37 and the minimum sewer bill will be $37.91. The ordinance require approval of two additional readings before it takes effect.

  Mowing and spraying bids

The council awarded a mowing contract to Mike Randall for areas in the park and by the highway.

Contracts for spraying were awarded to Agmerica and Miller's Lawncare.  

Street closures

The council approved numerous temporary street closure requests for special events this year, as submitted by Brandie Tomkins, Guttenberg Chamber director/city vitality director. Closures were approved for Stars & Stripes on July 4, Celebrate Guttenberg on Aug. 10, Smoke-off on Sept. 7, Germanfest on Sept. 20-21, and German Christmas Market and Parade on Nov. 30. 

The council also okayed street closures for the WMT Tractorcade on June 11 and Moxies Tap golf tournament on May 24.

Police Chief Derek Chambers received the okay for a street closure at Clayton Ridge School.

Other business

The employment agreement with City Manager Jamie Blume was approved, with changes incorporated from discussion at two previous meetings.

The council approved  Mandy Ludovissy and Kari Harbaugh to operate the city rec department concession stands this season. Ludovissy, a council member, abstained on the vote. 

Ryan Hosch of V & K told the council that final documentation is being prepared for the Fifth Street overlay project.

A handicapped parking space was approved for The Landing.

The council resumed consideration from last month's meeting of a request from the Ferguson family to purchase some city property adjacent to their property in north Guttenberg. Mayor Fred Schaub noted that the public works department  had concerns about selling the property since there was a water line that ran through it. After short discussion, the council consensus was to retail the property.

The council okayed an application by the City Manager to the State of Iowa Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.