HIT roof work funded by city commissioners

By RALPH ANSAMI

[email protected]

Ironwood — Historic Ironwood Theatre Managing Director Bruce Greenhill said roof repairs on the downtown theater building may begin this fall after the city commission on Monday pledged financial support for the project.

The commission agreed in a 5-0 vote to pay around $60,000 for the project to be repaid through a lease agreement for the $100,000 repair project.

Greenhill said the approval will likely get the project on the schedule for late October for Nasi Construction.

HIT will repay $1,000 a month to the city over a five-year period at no interest.

City manager Scott Erickson said the $60,000, with an initial payment of $28,900 to cover the first installment of costs, will come from the city’s fund balance.

HIT received a $29,505 state arts grant for the project that must be matched one-to-one.

Greenhill said HIT must pay 50 percent down on the project and 50 percent upon completion.

Greenhill said the current roof on the theater building is 30 years old and the new Duralast roof and related insulation will qualify the project for an energy grant.

Commissioner Jim Mildren, who offered the motion to approve the city funds for the project, asked about the value of the theater building, which the city owns. Erickson and Greenhill weren’t sure of the exact value of the building and what it’s insured for, but commissioners were told it is a “significant” amount.

Greenhill said he is confident the theater board will be able to make the $1,000 monthly payments.

In other business Monday, the city commission approved a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development pay package for $219,388 for phase 4 of the city’s infrastructure project water costs and $162,636 for the sewer part.

Erickson said the pay package covers the infrastructure work to date. Current work is in the Sutherland and Washington streets area.

Paul Anderson, of Coleman Engineering, said the project is behind schedule, but good progress has been made in recent weeks. He said the completion date is scheduled for the middle of next summer.

A project summary shows of the $219,388 the commission approved for the water costs, a total of $199,139 goes to Ruotsala Construction and the rest will be paid to Coleman Engineering.