Lansing may be the final stop on RAGBRAI 2022 route
by Julie Berg-Raymond
City of Lansing Mayor Melissa Hammell will be contacting RAGBRAI 2022 officials this week to let them know Lansing would like to be considered as the last stop along the annual bike ride’s route next year.
The mayor was authorized to take this action by the Lansing City Council’s approval of Resolution No. 955 during its regular meeting Monday, November 15. The 2022 RAGBRAI Route Announcement Party, a ticketed event, is scheduled for January 28, 2022 in Des Moines. RAGBRAI 2022 is scheduled to be held July 23-30, 2022.
Lansing has been a host city for the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) two times - 1977 and 2017 - since the annual ride began in 1973. According to Wikipedia, it holds the distinction of being the “city with the next-to-longest time between hosting,” at 40 years - second only to Iowa City, at 42 years (1976 and 2018). RAGBRAI has passed through all 99 of Iowa’s counties in its history.
PEOPLE SERVICE REPORT
People Service, Inc. representative Duane Estebo reported the following procedures to the Lansing City Council:
October 6, 7 - Quality Pump performed annual lift station pump maintenance and inspections and replaced a broken catch basket stop in the Fourth Street lift station.
October 12 - One of the tubes to a skimmer in one of the clarifier tanks broke; it was repaired with spare parts.
October 14, 15 - In addition to jetting northern siphon pipe and City Hall, annual manhole inspections were continued. Manholes are checked annually for excess debris, proper flow, infiltration issues, and overall condition of the manhole.
October 18, 19 - The department assisted Matt Troendle with a dig at a Center Street location by verifying location of water and sewer mains. The condition of these mains was checked in comparison to other spots on Center Street.
October 26 - A new backflow device was installed, after inspection determined it could not be repaired to hold pressure. It had been dumping water continuously and not operating correctly.
OTHER BUSINESS
The Council approved Resolution 956, authorizing “the submission of the Strengthening Communities grant in the amount of $40,000 to the Lansing Parks Board.” The resolution confirms that $40,000 in capital funds will be made available to match an $80,000 grant that would be used to cover the costs of adding roof structures to the guard house and pump house improvements at the Lansing Swimming Pool. This confirmation is required as part of the grant application.
The council also approved liquor license renewals for Milty’s and Coffee on the River. Approval was also given to the renewal of employee life insurance through The Hartford, a plan administered through EPIC Specialty Benefits, based in Madison, WI.
As part of an ongoing revision of the City Code, salaries of councilpersons and the mayor were re-examined and determined to be out of date, having not been altered in around 20 years. Currently, councilpersons are paid $20 for each regular council meeting attended and $10 for each special council meeting attended. The mayor’s salary currently is $100 per month. The council will issue a public hearing notice as the next step in pursuing this matter.
Additional coverage of the City Code discussion agenda item will be made available in the November 24 edition of The Standard. The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Lansing City Council is scheduled for Monday, December 6.
