Lansing City Council hears update on Black Hawk Bridge project, discusses summer personnel items

by Macie Hill

The Lansing City Council held its regular meeting Monday, May 6. Discussion centered around the adoption of the consent agenda, holding a public hearing, a Black Hawk Bridge update, a People Service report, a Parks Board Report and setting another public hearing.

A public hearing was held for Resolution #918 which allows vacation and easements of Otis and Chestnut Street. A motion was made and approved to allow that action.

Brian Bradely, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) project engineer for the proposed Black Hawk Bridge project, was present at the meeting to give an update. He explained one of the three options that was discussed previously was to update the existing structure, but he said that after engineers looked into it in depth, the chance of that plan happening is getting lower because of the cost involved and the amount of time the bridge would have to be closed. The DOT team will be setting up a meeting in mid-July at Kee High School in Lansing for more information and discussion of options. The exact date is not yet known.

Every Wednesday in May, weather permitting, the People Service team will be flushing out the town’s fire hydrants. A motion was made and seconded to allow the City of Lansing Parks Board to send letters to local business owners to ask for donations toward the splash pad. A motion was also made and seconded for the amount of money spent on summer rec softball and baseball tournaments to not exceed $400.

The council hired McKenzie Hawes for the summer rec assistant softball coach and Nate Wood for assistant baseball coach positions. Brian Ekren will also assist for baseball as a volunteer.

In the Parks Report, item D stated, “Review and consider paying head coaches for time spent before the actual hire date.” The council decided that they will only pay coaches for hours spent after the hiring date.

The council accepted the recommendation of the Parks Board and hired Spencer Colsch as the pool manager working for $11.50 an hour and Chloe Severson as the assistant manager for $10.00 an hour. The Parks Board also suggested that all 10 applicants for lifeguards will be hired contingent that they provide up-to-date certifications and they agree to duties, guidelines and procedures set by the Lansing Parks Board.

A public hearing was set for May 20 for Resolution #920 amending the FY2019 City Budget.