The Iola City Council received good news times two at Monday night’s meeting on the US 54 reconstruction project. City Manager Matt Rehder said the first good news was on the bid for the project, which including contingencies came in at $12,9 million, less than expected for the project which as its major part will include narrowing US 54 from four to three lanes in the project area.
The second piece of good news concerned bids for the bonds to finance the project, which were opened Monday Morning. Those bonds sold at an average interest rate of 3.99%, Rehder telling the council he was expecting the bond to have an interest rate in the area of 4.3 to 4.5%.
This will result in an annual payment of around $636,000 for the life of the bonds, which are scheduled to pay off in 2051 and funded through sales tax revenues. With that, the Council approved an ordinance authorizing the bond issuance, and a resolution authorizing sale and delivery of the bonds.
The Council agreed to move forward with purchase of either a semi-trailer or cargo trailer to be used for cardboard recycling collection. This is to be placed next to the EMS Annex at 410 North State. Mayor Steve French said it, more or less, allows Allen County to run with the recycling program, and the city to be involved without having to hire additional staff.
Some Council members questions going forward in this way, with thoughts ranging from a belief this should be entirely a county venture, others questioning support for recycling as a whole citing recent closures of recycling facilities in other regional communities.
Allen County Public Works Director Mitch Garner has been designated by County Commissioners as their point of contact on recycling. The city will also provide a lean-to or carport for county employees to work from during cardboard collection times.
The Council accepted a $62,832 proposal from Proseal of Augusta for a pavement preservation project on three streets in Iola. This includes Oregon Road and Lincoln Street from State to Kentucky and Cottonwood from Madison to Garfield.
The product to be used, which has been in on the market since 1960, utilizes an oil that offers better penetration into the asphalt surface, and is expected to extend the life of the street by at least five years. The city will under this bid take care of sand removal after the product is applied. This work, currently expected to be done over the summer, will be funded through the special traffic-way fund.
The Council approved providing 600 dollars requested by Thrive Allen County for signage to be placed on the south side of the square along Madison Street in connection with the US 54 reconstruction project.
The banners, authorization for placement had been given by Allen County Commissioners earlier, will be of a generic variety and encourage shopping at businesses impacted by the project. The banners will be produced locally, either through one of two local firms or through Allen Community College which now has printing equipment for banners.
It also agreed to waive rental fees for the Riverside Park Community Building at the request of the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department for a preparedness/movie night May 21st,
