Also approves additional pay for MHF Engineering
Jefferson’s new building and zoning official wasted no time in his new position. Nick Sorenson, formerly a Jefferson police officer, was approved as building and zoning official at the city council’s June 9 meeting. He assumed those duties June 15.
At the city council’s June 23 meeting, it was Sorenson who cautioned the council against moving too quickly on a project that on the surface would cost the city little, but has the potential to cost much more.
Peg Raney, Jefferson Matters: Main Street program director, presented a project involving the east-west alley off Chestnut St, just north of Doc’s Stadium. Doc’s Stadium owner Brett Cranston leases the alley from the city for $1 and uses it for outdoor seating for the restaurant and bar.
Raney told the council Cranston would be willing to pay $4,000 of the $4,600 total cost to replace the deteriorating concrete if the city would take out the old concrete and pay the remaining $600 for the new concrete.
Chris Heisterkamp and Denny Hammen of the Jefferson Matters design team were with Raney. Heisterkamp has done pencil sketches of the alley decorated in a bicycling motif. According to Raney, Doc’s Stadium draws business from the Raccoon River Valley Trail and other bicyclists.
Raney was hopeful of a short time line for the project, with completion in July.
Sorenson, though, had checked the location Tuesday afternoon. He reported to the council that there is an abandoned vault that runs from the back of Doc’s Stadium all the way to the courthouse, and there’s a cistern there, too. “There will be considerable cost. Once you start digging up the concrete, you’re going to find costs there that you don’t know. I just caution you about it,” Sorenson said.
The vault had at one time contained utility lines, council member Larry Teeples said. “Yes, but you find that, what else are you going to find? And know that with six inches of concrete you’re going to have your six inch sub base as well, so we’ll be digging at least a foot down…. These are things to keep in mind,” Sorenson said.
Mayor Craig Berry suggested that because it was Greene County that originally asked for the power line to be placed running under the alley, that the county could share the cost of the project.
“I think this sounds like a great project. I think we have more work to do to know what we might be looking at financially. I agree that it’s something that’s going to have to be dealt with eventually… but I think we need more info,” council member Shannon Black said.
The project was referred to the council’s street committee. The committee will plan a special meeting in order to be able to make a recommendation at the council’s next meeting July 14.
The alley is not currently a public alley with the lease agreement with Doc’s Stadium.
In other business, the city council approved by a 3-2 vote to amend the contract with MHF Engineering for an additional $43,000 in pay for work relative to the infrastructure improvements to the northwest and northeast portions of the city.
Engineer John Milligan said that the scope of the project has changed since the contract was signed, and that the inexperience of Scharnweber Inc has required more time in managing and supervising the project than what was anticipated.
Installation of sanitary lines to Wild Rose Casino was contracted to be finished by June 15. It still is not completed, although the contract allows for adding work days missed to be added to the end of the contract without penalty. Milligan reported a total of 21 rain days since construction began.
Along with laying blame and discussion of the competence and qualifications of Scharnweber, council members questioned where the additional $43,000 would come from. Clerk Diane Kennedy said there is not extra funds in the bond issue just sold earlier this month for the project.
“We have a project here and we need to get it resolved. I think the right way to get is resolved is to compensate our engineer and have him get it done, not withhold payment from him. It’s frustrating enough for him as it is. I think we ought to pay him. The expenses are there. It’s part of our own doing because we expanded the project. Part of it is maybe the contractor. He (Milligan) will go back and if there’s any way to get part of it back from the contractor, I’m sure he’ll do that. I don’t see the point in holding it up, unless we absolutely don’t have the funds. But I’m sure we can find the money some place,” council member Gary Von Ahsen said.
Council members Teeples and Lisa Jaskey voted against a motion to approve the added pay. Black, Von Ahsen and Harry Ahrenholtz voted in favor of the motion.
