Council moves forward with Chestnut St. project agreement

     In an effort to reconstruct N. Chestnut Street, the council approved a Professional Services Agreement with City Engineer Snyder & Associates for the design and to oversee the street project.

   The cost of the agreement and services provided is $57,000.

   The scope of the project on N. Chestnut is between W. Second and W. Third Streets, as well as a subdrain outlet adjacent to the intersection at N. Chestnut and W. First Street.

   The project would generally include the reconstruction of the street, sidewalks, water main, and installation of subdrain. The project is being designed without storm sewer. The retaining walls in the northwest sector of the project will be removed and/or fully or partially replaced.

   There would be bid alternates for reconstructing the street with PCC (Portland cement concrete) curb and gutter and reinstalling the existing brick pavers (or replacing the street with concrete); and an alternate to include decorative street lighting.

   The N. Chestnut Street reconstruction project has been planned for inclusion in the city's Fiscal Year 2024 capital bond.

   City Engineer Patrick Schwickerath said plans for the street project could be completed by the fall, with bidding in early winter, and construction in the spring of 2024.

   "Is this project actually happening?" questioned Council member Brenda Hanken.

   "Yes, but there is a question of the design," offered Mayor Dave Goedken. "What does the council have in mind? If we're not going to do this, we don't need to design it."

   Goedken also said if period/decorative lighting is the consensus of the council, the fixtures are hard to replace if they're damaged.

   Council member Tom Yeoman has always maintained that brick streets and period lighting are his preference.

   "We need to maintain the brick streets in the community and expand period lights," he said.

   Yeoman added that the lights end up paying for themselves versus having to rent poles from Alliant Energy.

   "We'll own the lights," he added.

   "I hear the opposite," Goedken said. "They're not cost effective."

   Council member Candy Langerman said by asking for bid alternatives, the council can then choose their options based on cost.

   "The council can review the bids for the two designs (brick or concrete streets)," offered Schwickerath.

   "We need competitive bids to make a decision on all of these things," Council member Wayne Peach agreed.