More brick pavers will be installed downtown

Last spring in 2018, the City of Monticello had brick pavers installed downtown in front of City Hall and the Renaissance Center, eliminating the colored concrete strip. At the time, they discussed putting a policy together but it never came to fruition. 

“The policy was never formally approved,” explained City Administrator Doug Herman. 

That colored strip dates back to the 1990s as a streetscape cost-savings measure. Through the years, as work was done on the brick streets in town, brick pavers have become available to use by property owners to replace the colored strip. 

In addition, the bricks have been used in front of and throughout the pocket park, and in front of Brian Monk’s commercial building on W. First Street. 

Now, three property owners downtown have agreed to use brick pavers in front of their buildings as opposed to the color strip: Monticello Monument, Mark Matthiessen, and Terry Covington. All projects will be part of a cost-share of $300, to be paid by the property owner. 

The city’s share would cover supplying the pavers, the cost to remove the colored strip, the cost of subgrade preparation, and a third of the cost to install the pavers by 151 Landscape and Construction. 

Herman said there could be two additional properties to jump on board. If weather permits, the installation would happen yet this year. 

It would be the responsibility of the property owner downtown to maintain the bricks moving forward. 

The council approved the cost-share with the three aforementioned businesses. Herman noted that the approval just allows the three projects to move forward, not approval of the policy. 

“This is the first time the city council is doing something like this before a policy is approved,” Herman said. 

In other city business: 

• The council approved an amended plat of survey for a parcel located in the 2-mile jurisdiction along 175th Avenue, owned by Leo Cook. 

The council and Planning & Zoning previously approved the plat for a new home, but there have since been changes to the survey. The Cooks wanted to wait until the excavation work started to know how the home would sit on the lot. They wanted the parcel to be at least 2 acres. They wanted the survey to include as much of the south side hilltop versus the hillside and valley. The south side provides better solar panel placement. 

• The council approved the sale of a 2012 International garbage truck and packer to Elliott Equipment for a bid of $55,101. 

The city also received a bid from Kluesner Equipment for $23,460. 

The truck will not be transferred to the new owner until the end of yard waste collection on Nov. 21. 

The proceeds from the sale of the garbage truck will be used for improvements at the compost site.