The City Council of Webster City approved two street improvement projects at its meeting Monday.
Both are of the same type and scope as those finished last summer, and include curb and gutter replacement where warranted, hot melt asphalt paving, and new concrete driveway approaches. These are the upgrades readily visible as you walk or drive along the newly-repaired streets. While the roadway is torn up, though, storm and sanitary sewer repairs are undertaken where necessity requires, and budget allows. Finally, new sidewalks may be part of the project scope, especially where no sidewalk presently exists.
The projects will be the subject of a public hearing at City Hall, 400 Second Street, Webster City, on December 16 at 6:05 p.m.
The largest project, with an engineer’s estimated budget of $2.342 million, will be along Fair Meadow Drive from Des Moines Street to Rodlyn Road, essentially a continuation of the large project completed last summer on Fair Meadow between Superior and Des Moines streets.
The second project will see Brewer Street from Des Moines Street to Willson Avenue, and South Willson Avenue itself from Brewer to Ohio Street, substantially rebuilt. The estimate for this project is $1.159 million. The project also contains a “bid alternative,” to pave the block of South Street east of Des Moines Street, with $22,890 budgeted.
Work on both projects will begin in early May with completion expected in September for the Willson Avenue/Brewer Street project, and in November for the Fair Meadow Drive project.
Both projects are part of the city’s five-year capital improvements plan, and are in its 2024/25 budget.
Also on Monday, the Council approved the following measures:
— Renewal of airport management and fixed base operator’s lease agreements with Storm Flying Service. In the management agreement, Storm is paid $55,000 a year to manage Webster City’s airport. A cost-of-living allowance identical to that of salaried employees of the City of Webster City, but not to exceed 4% annually, is part of the agreement. Storm reports to the Webster City Airport Commission, chaired by Scott Bargfrede.
In the fixed base operator agreement, the city leases a house, office, classroom, public meeting rooms, loading areas for spraying chemicals, three hanger stalls, navigation facilities, aviation fuel tanks, Unicom, (a radio system used by pilots to contact fixed base operators), telephone and terminal facilities to Storm Flying Service.
In return, Storm provides a range of “aviation-related services” at the airport including a flight training school, aerial crop spraying, aircraft charters, sale of aviation fuel and oil, and aircraft sales and rentals.
_ A residential lot tax abatement application from Brady Hartmann of Stanhope. Hartmann, through his company Midwest Ecostruction LLC, plans to build a new home on a lot at 805 Funk Street (corner of First Street) in Webster City. Taxes on the home itself are forgiven for three years, but must still be paid on the lot itself. In this way, the city incentivizes new construction within the city with the hope of improving existing neighborhoods and improving its overall property tax base.
— A second reading of the repeal of Chapter 24, Article III of the city’s Code of Ordinances, adopting in its place a non-exclusive franchise for Black Hills Energy to run the city’s natural gas utility for the next 25 years.
Either Black Hills or the City of Webster City may cancel the agreement on the eighth (in 2033) or 16th (in 2041) anniversary of the agreement by notifying the other party in writing. Further, the city retains a first right of refusal to again operate the natural gas utility itself if Black Hills sells or merges with another company.
Voters will decide in today’s general election whether to approve a 25-year lease for Black Hills, or authorize the city to operate the natural gas utility itself.
A third public hearing on the matter will be taken up by the City Council after the election.
— A permanent easement for the electric utility over property owned by R&R Investments between Des Moines Street and Willson Avenue south of Pleasant View School and Brewer Creek.
Plans for the 2025 Willson Avenue/Brewer Street repair project include relocation of utility poles needed for upgraded electrical service to the neighborhood. The agreement restricts construction of permanent structures that might interfere with city operations within the easement.
Last modified: November 5, 2024