Lansing Council approves final plans for North Front Street water and sewer project
by B.J. Tomlinson
The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday night, August 18. The Council reviewed and approved the final plan from WHKS Engineering for the North Front Street Water and Sewer project which is to be completed this fall. Engineer Kevin Draves said the final cost, which had been estimated between $200,000 and $250,000 will cost slightly over $300,000 after adding in contingencies and financing. A public notice and requests for bids will be sent to contractors immediately; the bid letting date was set for September 15 at 3 p.m. An assessment hearing with landowners was scheduled for September 2. Additionally, a bid letting date for the Blackhawk Alley/Valley Street project was set for September 2 at 3 p.m. Draves also said the Clear Creek Bridge project would be completed before winter.
Penny Adair asked the Council’s permission to clear trees and shrubs from the property at 1000 Valley Street and then take them to the City burn site. The request was approved.
Kevin Conway addressed the Council regarding a nuisance abatement letter he received from the City because of a tractor parked on his property at 70 S. Second Street. He said the tractor was registered, insured and operable, that he should not have received the letter and that the City should apologize. He also suggested that landowners be notified before being sent a letter. Police Chief Ed Stahl said the license plate could not be seen from the road and that it was unlawful for officials to trespass on private property to investigate. Mayor Mike Brennan formally apologized to Conway.
The Council discussed a written request from Dave Larsen to provide a handicapped parking space in front of his residence at 701 Main Street, stating that others are parking there and that he doesn’t have room to park. The Council stated the parking area is a public street and that anyone can park there, just like all the other streets in Lansing. No action was taken.
Allamakee County Visioning Group (ACVG) Chairman Barb McPherson addressed the Council asking for help mowing and weed whacking on the hill by Blackhawk Bridge. She said that because she spends all her time mowing she doesn’t have time to tend the plants or do any further landscaping. She said, “If I can’t get the quack grass pulled, the special maintenance free grass we planted won’t take over and the parcel won’t be maintenance free next year.” McPherson said the volunteers who worked on the hill last year had “disappeared” and she has very little help. She went on to remind the Council that according to the contract with the Department of Transportation and agreements between the City, the ACVG and the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF), the City will be responsible for maintenance of the hill after this year. Mayor Brennan said they certainly did not want the hill to go back to its former unkempt state. The Council and McPherson discussed the possibility of providing an additional Luster Heights inmate to help with the mowing one day a week until winter. Street Superintendent Jerry Aperans said inmates were in short supply and he didn’t know if he could get another one; Councilman Dick Roeder said he would check into the possibility.
Library Board President Dan Fisher and several Meehan Library Board members addressed the Council regarding the recent relocation of the can recycling bin from South Front Street to South Fourth Street. The Council voted at a previous meeting to move the site because of complaints about the unsightly overflowing bin, cans blowing into the river, and, because of the location, creating a traffic hazard. Board member Rita Heim said the Library Board was not notified of any of the complaints and asked if a more visible site could be found. She said no one is using the bin at the new location, which meant the Library would lose the approximately $3,000 annual revenue, which is used to pay the library’s insurance premium. The Council agreed to cooperate with the Library to find a more suitable recycling site.
In other business, the Council reviewed and approved a driveway permit for Ben and Jessica Verdon.
