Construction to continue during Fourth of July week

By CHARITY SMITH

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Bessemer - Highway construction will continue on through the Bessemer Blast holiday events, with approval from the Bessemer City Council on Monday.

The city council 4-0 approved the request of the Michigan Department of Transportation to allow its contractors, James Peterson Sons, to continue work on U.S. 2 from Monday, June 28, through Wednesday, June 30, during the week of the Bessemer Blast. Council member Terry Kryshak was not present.

"They would be doing very little trucking on U.S. 2," said city manager Charley Loper. "The street is already torn up, so I don't think it is going to affect traffic that much more."

Mayor Adam Zak said the single lane traffic flow on the highway from construction will be a problem whether or not the work is permitted during the holiday week.

"Might as well let them work and get it done as fast as possible," he said.

The city council approved a wage increase for summer workers from $12 per hour to $15. The increase is intended to attract more applicants to fill three summer vacancies as there is only one worker currently.

"We only got nine days before it's July, and it's July and August, and then summer is over with," said councilman Bill McDonald. "So, we got to do something now."

Phil Sala, city resident, attended the meeting to express concern over not receiving trash cans from Republic Services (formerly Eagle Waste & Recycling), despite the promise from the company's representative to deliver them. Sala said he has paid for trash removal service at his property for over a year and still not getting service for lack of the required receptacle.

Sala said he opted out of the service previously but was still required to pay for the previous year's service when the city changed its trash pickup contract. This is the third time Sala brought the issue to the council meeting.

Loper said that after inquiring with Republic Services they stated they are under the impression that Sala has a trash receptacle. She said she would personally verify Sala's claim that he does not have any trash receptacles, and said Wednesday to the Daily Globe that the issue should now be resolved.

In other business, the city council also:

-Accepted a property insurance quote from Hannula in the amount of $20,784 to include cyber security.

-Heard from Loper that the city will demolish 407 E. Longyear.

-Approved a $300 fee for the right of way abandonment process.

-Adopted the hazard mitigation plan.

-Approved a wastewater draw request of $272,892.

-Approved a water draw request of $125,596.

-Approved a change order to rework water and sewer lines to match field conditions.