Lansing City Council approves moving forward with grant application for trail system

by Bob Beach

 

During the regular meeting of the Lansing City Council Monday night, December 15, Allamakee Economic Development Executive Director Laura Olson presented the Council with a proposal to apply for grants to establish a trail system in and around Lansing. Olson told the Council that there are federal funds available through the Transportation Alternative Program, requiring a 20% local match in funds for up to $115,000. 

Olson said that she had been working with members of the Lansing Park and Recreation Board to plan trail routes and they had come up with two trail segments, one essentially following Clear Creek, and the other segment along Valley Street crossing the south side of the town. She told the Council that once the trail segments in town are complete, it may be possible to expand onto County land in the future.

The Council approved of the plans and authorized Olson to move forward with applying for the grant, which, if approved, would award the funds in fiscal year 2017-2018. She added that she would get estimates on the total cost of the project as part of the grant writing process, which would be done at no charge to the City. She said that she would return in January with a completed application for the Council’s approval.

The Council also met with representatives from People Services and Fehr Graham Engineering regarding an agreement with the County to provide water and sewer services to the planned visitor center at the Columbus Bridge property south of Lansing. An addendum to the agreement was presented for discussion, primarily dealing with how leaks in the system would be monitored and billed. Both representatives agreed on changes in the language of the addendum and a revised version will be presented to the Council during its next regular meeting.

 

In more routine business, the Council approved of the Marina Board’s recommendation to raise the rates for levee lots, slip rent and winter storage rates by three percent, the standard annual increase.

During public comment time, Dan Fisher, the newly hired Director of Main Street Lansing, introduced himself and presented the Council with the certificate recognizing that Lansing’s downtown business district has been added to the National Registry of Historic Places. Fisher also asked to be added to the Council’s agenda on a monthly basis to provide updates on Main Street Lansing’s efforts to promote economic development and tourism. “We’re here to help,” he said.