(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake city council Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution opening its committee meetings to the public. Public input at the meetings will be at the sole discretion of the committee; notice of the meetings will be posted as much in advance as reasonably possible; and due to the sensitive nature of some issues, a committee, by unanimous consent, could require the general public to leave the meeting during discussion of those issues.
The council awarded a grading project on 41st Street, or the easterly extension of County Home Road. The low bid came in at 47,290-dollars…12-thousand dollars below the engineer’s estimate. The grading is to be done yet this fall so underground utility work can get underway as soon as possible. The street will serve as a major artery to the new YMCA being constructed in that area.
The council approved an update to city code reflecting changes to state law. They approved raising fines for municipal infractions to 750-dollars for the first offense and a thousand dollars for each additional offense.
They approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance allowing for a greater separation between the primary and accessory buildings for fire protection purposes. The change will apply to new accessory buildings. Existing ones will be allowed to stay as they are.
The council approved a change order for the East Entryway project which will reduce the engineering fee by about 5,500-dollars; and October 14th was set as the date for a public hearing on plans and specs to award a bid on the project.
Council members also last evening approved the preliminary plat for Bedell’s Fourth Addition proposed for the south side of Highways nine and 71 west of the Great Lakes Mall; October 14th was set as the date for a public hearing to vacate an alley north of 12th Street and west of the railroad tracks; and they approved a request from Mediacom to extend franchise renewal negotiations an additional two months. The original deadline was October 10th. Mediacom officials say the additional time is needed to address some of the concerns being brought up by city officials.
