Council signs off on projects, resource officer

The effort to re-establish a school resource officer in the Spencer School District took another step forward Monday night.

The Spencer City Council authorized police chief Mark Lawson to apply for a grant to fund the position of a school resource officer in Spencer for three years. The application would be made through the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program. As part of the application, the officer's position would need to be retained a fourth year, with the school district and the city splitting the estimated annual $60,000 expense.

The officer assigned to Spencer schools would serve as a D.A.R.E. officer as well.

"I am a teacher and I do see the need for a school resource officer," Council member Steve Bomgaars said. "It was unfortunate that position was cut."

In other action, council members approved a pair of subcontractors for an extensive storm sewer project planned for the west side of town. Clayton & Sons of Cherokee and Randy Helmers Construction of Estherville will do some of the work on the 2009 West Side Storm Sewer Project.

The project reflects a $700,000 segment of the city's 20-year, $30 million effort to separate the city's sanitary sewer and storm water system. The changes are required to meet Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Work also is about to begin on storm sewer upgrades along Second Avenue West from the Little Sioux River to about halfway between West Third Street and West Fourth Street. The sewer line also would be upgraded on Third Avenue West between West Third Street and West Fourth Street.

Council members set a 6:30 p.m. May 4 hearing date for an extensive paving project within the city. Work is planned along West Sixth Street, Ninth Avenue East and into the Deerfield Park Third Addition.

The Deerfield Park addition was the topic a second time, when Engineer Jim Thiesse of Kruse Cate & Nelson opened bids but asked council members to table a decision on a sewer and water extension. Solsma Bros. of Hospers submitted the low bid of $84,924.

The amount was only $76 lower than the next lowest bid by Valley Contracting of Estherville. Some options in the alternate bids may change who the low bidder is, and Thiesse wanted to meet with Spencer Municipal Utilities officials before the council awards the contract.

The project drew 11 bidders and the low bid came in at about 74 percent of the engineer's estimate.

Council members also set public hearings as the bidding process begins for the Green Industrial Center sewer and water extension project. The city will take bids at 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 20, with a bid-letting date set for April 29.

The city and Spencer Municipal Utilities purchased 200 acres of land between the east beltway and the city's wastewater treatment plant from the Green Family Trust in 2008. City leaders want to annex the land for an environmentally-friendly industrial park. The site would include rain gardens and a rural cross-section street with natural drainage rather than traditional curb and gutter.

The project requires about 2,450 feet of new roadway from the east end of East Milwaukee Street east and north to future 17th Avenue East. It will allow access to seven new lots totaling over 40 acres in Phase I, which covers about $1.4 million of the $3.5 million Green Industrial Center proposal.

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SOME SPRING CLEANING

The city's department head reports consumed about 45 minutes of the Spencer City Council meeting Monday night. Some of the discussion related to the arrival of spring and some annual reminders for Spencer residents:

* The city and county emergency management will be participating in the statewide tornado drill, at 10 a.m. Wednesday. Residents will hear the area's outdoor sirens sound, at about 10:10 a.m., as part of the exercise.

* Council member Steve Bomgaars posed a question about the poor condition of West 11th Street. Public Works Director Mark White said city crews will patch what they can, but more extensive surface replacement is part of the 2011 capital improvement plan.

* The Spencer Police Department is receiving a lot of calls about dog owners who are not picking up the animal droppings of their pets. Police chief Mark Lawson doesn't want officers spending time on pet enforcement issues, but may consider citations if the situation warrants.

* Winter is over, so ATV use within the city is prohibited. It is only allowed for snow removal purposes.

* Open burning is still a concern, according to Spencer Fire Chief Doug Duncan. Leaves and branches must be properly disposed of at the city landfill site.

* Mayor Reynold Peterson noted the increasing pedestrian traffic in the city. He asked Lawson to remind residents that vehicles parked in driveways should not block city sidewalks.