Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
KATHY WHITBURN, standing, of the Bessemer Chamber of Commerce provides an update to the Bessemer City Council of what's going on at the chamber. In photo, from left, City Manager Michael Uskiewicz, Council Member Marlene Zaleski and Council Member Al Gaiss.
BESSEMER – The Bessemer City Council approved the contract for engineering and coating inspection services on the Aquastore water storage tank located on Tilden Road at Monday's meeting.
With the council's approval, Bessemer employs Dixon Engineering for $14, 414 to perform technical services on the 62,000 gallon standpipe tank. Dixon will perform paint the tank inside and out and install hand rails for safety purposes.
In an email to City Manager Michael Uskiewicz, Joseph Hoban, Dixon senior project engineer, said they will also expect to perform up to eight full-time inspections and two mobilizations. According to the email, if Dixon does not need to use any of the inspections or only needs to mobilize once, they will not invoice for the unnecessary work.
Hoban said in the email they included the second mobilization in the proposal just in case the project hits a snag. Uskiewicz described a snag as a week of bad weather.
Uskiewicz said Dixon has completed one inspection already.
"They (Dixon) did the inspection and is aware of everything needs to be done on the tank," he said.
At Monday's meeting, Uskiewicz explained that Hoban classified the project as a "small project."As a result, Hoban claimed in the email that the project is too small to attract paint contractors to want to want to work on it as their first spring project.
Pleased with the unanimous council's approval, Uskiewicz said they made the right move.
"We're in good hands," he said. "Dixon is one of the best companies in the country when it comes to water tanks."
In the email, Tobansuggested that the work should be completed by June or July, 2016.
Moving forward with the meeting, Uskiewicz said the council must adopt a economic opportunities policy governing certain contracts which use federal funds.
According to information provided at the meeting, Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Contract requires that economic development be directed to low and very-low income persons.
The policy adoption is required by the federal government, Uskiewicz said as part of accepting the funds.
"As the recipients of a community development block grant, there are certain federal requirements we have have to have in order to put this policy in place," he said.
Also on the agenda, the council approved Donna Frello's request on behalf of the Bessemer Pumkinfest Committee. According to her proposal, the festival run Thursday, Sept. 24 through Sunday, Sept. 27.
The council approved a number of requests by the committee, including using the city hall auditorium on Sept. 25 to set up for for the pie social and dance on Saturday. The committee will close Sophie Street from city hall to Mary Street from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The intersection by the post office will remain blocked off until 7 p.m. for the dance. They will use 12 picnic tables on Sophie Street. They will use the lot next to Couch Potato and the field adjacent to Ableman's for children's activities. The Downtown Development Authority meeting room will be used for Pumpkin Bingo. The field across from the historical society will be used for pony rides and the petting zoo and the Ethnic Commons Park will be used for music and food vendors.
In other news from the meeting:
During his report," Uskiewicz said there will a public meeting for the Community Development Block Grant on Aug. 13 at 5 p.m. at the city council chambers conducted by contractors.
