City plans for Seventh Street reconstruction project

     There will be a special Monticello City Council meeting on Monday, March 23, to award a contract for the proposed E. Seventh Street Reconstruction Project.

     During the March 16 council meeting, the council held a public hearing regarding the plans/specs and estimate of cost associated with the project.

     There were three options from which contractors could submit bids:

     • Option 1 includes the reconstruction of all of Seventh Street lying east of the N. Sycamore Street Reconstruction Project. The cost estimate is $129,000.

     • Option 2 includes the reconstruction of all of Seventh Street lying east of the N. Sycamore Street Reconstruction Project, in addition to the intersection of N. Cedar Street and Seventh Street. The cost estimate is $469,000.

     • Option 3 includes both Option 1 and Options 2, as well as the intersection of Sixth Street and Gill Street. The cost estimate is $691,000.

     Bids were due to City Hall on March 18.

     City Administrator Doug Herman said a special meeting to award the contract was necessary to keep the project on schedule.

     No public comments were received.

In other city business:

   • The council heard from Kaitlyn Hunt and Carrie Cleeton, members of the Monti Days event committee.

     WIN-Monticello is organizing the event, set for Saturday, Aug. 29, from noon to midnight. The group is looking for sponsorships as they begin planning and advertising.

     “Our goal is to create an event downtown that celebrates and promotes the people of Monticello,” they shared.

     The committee is looking to block off E. First Street from Cedar Street to Maple Street, including rental of the pocket park.

     There will be local shopping/vendors, food/drink vendors, music and a downtown dance, kids activities, contests, performances, and more.

     • The council approved the final assessment schedule for the N. Sycamore Street Reconstruction Project. This sets forth the property assessments to be mailed to those properties impacted by the project. The final assessment also includes voluntary work requested for some of the property owners, which increases their final assessment from their initial estimate. The assessments also include credits against those who completed sidewalk/approach work within the last 10 years.

     The council imposed a 2.5 percent interest rate with this project to cover the additional costs the city incurred with the project.

     • Parks and Rec Director Jacob Oswald informed the council that soccer will be cancelled for the year, and full reimbursements would be going out to families who have already registered.

     • Herman informed the council that two private aircraft owners have committed to building two 100-by-100-foot hangars at the Monticello airport. These would be homes for larger aircraft, and bring in additional rent to the airport revenue stream.

     Herman hinted that they might need to discuss a future extension to the taxiway.

     • The Iowa DOT notified the city of a patching project, beginning March 17, on Highway 151 from Highway 13 to Highway 61.

     Completion of the project is anticipated in calendar year 2020.

     • The city is exploring the assistance of a collection agency to recoup unpaid ambulance fees. Right now the city and the Monticello library use the Iowa Offset Program to collect unpaid fees. The collection agency would be something new for the city.

     The company would get a percentage of the fees collected, depending on the age of the debt.

     • The council is planning a goal-setting session for some time in May or June. At that time, they will also tour the city to look at possible future street projects.