City conducts routine business

MONDAY, JUNE 11,2018 — Members of the Tower City Council met and cleared its agenda of all routine business which was currently before the city.  Jason Chopp, Short ElliotT Hendrickson, Inc, (SEH) advised the city that all the work on the Hoodoo Point Campground is nearly complete, with the exception of work which was being completed on the last new RV site as the city council was meeting. “All of the water and electrical work is finished,” Chopp said. The city council unanimously approved two change orders for campground work, as recommended by SEH. The first was a change order increasing the cost of the Hoodoo Point campground project by $2,594.44 for the city to purchase electrical components to complete electrical work at the campground and a second change order reducing the costs for savings in sewer and excavation by $12,301.86.

SEH also presented the council with two bills from Lanyk Electric Inc., totaling $6,661.37 for electrical cable and pedestals to replace the ones credited from the Utility Systems of America, Inc. (USA) bid in the second change order. Additionally the city council approved two Utility Systems of America, Inc. invoices in the amount of $5,363 and $1,085.14 for extra work completed, beyond the contract’s specifications and made a partial payment of $79,489.43 on the contract.

The city council paid the final $8,707.75 on a 2016 contract between KGM Contractors, Inc. and the city for apron reconstruction at the Tower Municipal Airport. That project is now complete, however the city approved a new 2018 airport project and SEH amended its agreement which sets the scope of the work to be completed on a guidance sign, windcone and fence installation at the city’s airport. It is expected that SEH will receive $15,000 for its services.

In other action, the Tower City council:

• Appointed Terry Joki-Martin and Mandy Northrup with Sheldon Majerle as the alternate to the city’s Absentee Ballot board

• Accepted the resignation of H. Watts from the Tower Ambulance service

• Authorized repairs to the city’s Hoodoo Point Road pole barn, with the hope that building will be able to be utilized for the next 10 to 15 years

• Approved a request from D’Erick’s Tower Liquors to utilize the city garage for its 4th of July beer garden and closing the block of Birch Street, from the alleyway, north to Main Street for the holiday festivities

• Approved cigarette licenses for sales at Bob’s Standard, Zup’s Grocery, Good Ol’ Days, Vermilion Fuel and Food and D’Erick’s Tower Liquors; approved on sale liquor licenses for Good Ol’ Days, D’Erick’s and Bench Warmers; approved Sunday on sale licenses for Good Ol’ Days, D’Erick’s and Bench Warmers; and approved Sunday off sale licenses for D’Erick’s Tower Liquors and Bench Warmers

• Accepted correspondence from the Minnesota Department of Health acknowledging a decrease in halocetic acids and trihalomethanes during routine quarterly tests of the city’s water service over the past year

• Approved the minutes of its Monday April 23, Monday, May 14 and Monday, May 29 regular meetings.