Ironwood well rehab completed

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Ironwood — The Ironwood City Commission on Monday approved payments and bid requests regarding the city wells, building demolitions and new equipment for public works. 

The city commission approved the final $39,200 payment to Binz Bros. Well Drilling and Pumping Service of Hurley, for completion of the Well No. 203 Rehabilitation Project. The initial $37,000 bid was awarded in April to conduct the final of six well rehabilitation projects.

The city commission approved an additional $2,200 change order in May. The change order included $1,700 for the replacement of a 4-inch drop pipe and $500 for additional sandblasting and painting of the pitless adapter.

“The additional work was needed and it did raise the cost of the project a little,” said city manager Scott Erickson. “But it turned out well and it should be good for a number of years with that project.”

The city commission approved the $13,545 low bid of three bids for the demolition of the structure at 716 Garvey St. to Fahrner Excavating of Plover, Wisconsin. The commission issued calls to bid in August for the demolition of a trailer in disrepair on a property that was turned over to the city for demolition by the current owner.

The demolition cost will be paid from the code enforcement demolition budget, Erickson said.

The city commission authorized the purchase of a new Elgin NF Pelican Sweeper through the State of Michigan Mi-DEAL program in the amount of $219,784 to be paid from the city equipment fund. The current 1994 Elgin Eagle Sweeper with 51,111 miles and 8,413 hours will be declared surplus property and put up for auction starting at $11,000.

“Our current sweeper is 23 years old and it gets used very heavily,” Erickson said. 

The city commission approved a field officer training agreement for the city Department of Public Safety. Effective Sept. 6 through April 30, 2022, officers assigned to perform duties as a field training officer will be compensated at $1.50 per hour along with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.

The assigned duties will require training and oversight of new officers with duties at the discretion of the public safety director. The field training officer will be compensated when assigned and actively training a new officer. 

IPSD Director Andrew DiGiorgio said that for the past six years, the program places experienced officers with new officers in a 16-week training period to become public safety officers. The program is particularly helpful for the integration of recent academy graduates who have no department experience, he said. 

“It’s kind of like being a teacher,” DiGiorgio said. “We’re just trying to compensate them for their work and their supervisory responsibilities during this process.”

The city commission approved a mayoral proclamation recognizing October as International Alpha Delta Kappa month. The purpose of the proclamation is to recognize an organization with a mission to empower women educators, to advance inclusion, educational excellence, altruism and world understanding.

Alpha Delta Kappa supports altruistic projects, provides grants and scholarships, offers time and resources, embraces cultural differences and makes an impact through world understanding, said Mayor Annette Burchell.

The local chapter of retired educators are very active in the community with many projects, she said. The organization has many volunteers who invest time in the community. 

“This is one outstanding organization of leaders and contributors that give so much to our community,” Burchell said.

In the city manager’s report, Erickson said the interviewing process for the city clerk position is underway to replace Karen Gullan, who will be retiring in November after more than 20 years of service. The city clerk is a commission appointed position as opposed to an elected office and a committee of staff and commissioner interviewers will present a recommendation for the next city commission meeting.

The Michigan National Guard will be conducting a clinic for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at the Memorial Building on Tuesdays over three weeks on Oct. 19, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2.

In other business, the city commission approved:

—A $42,024 payment to Angelo Luppino Inc. for work completed thus far with the 2021 Local Street Paving Project. The third payment comes after all major paving work is completed with some ongoing patch work yet to finish.

—Authorizing bids for the purchase of a new asphalt hot box for the city Department of Public Works. The box maintains proper temperatures for asphalt and cold patch during pothole repairs and will be paid for from the city equipment fund.

—Adopting a resolution for a public hearing to hear comment on a blight violation at 112 W. Cloverland Drive. The hearing is scheduled for 5:25 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, prior to the regular commission meeting at 5:30 p.m.