(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake city council Tuesday voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation for the refurbishing of Highways nine and 71 through the city to be carried out in the upcoming construction season. The council also approved spending 744-thousand dollars on new street lighting for the project.
The council voted to enter into a separate agreement with the D-O-T for the construction of a pedestrian/snowmobile underpass under Highways nine and 71 near the boat ramp on the east edge of town. It was reported the city may wind up bearing the cost of the project, since the D-O-T, Trails Association, DNR and county have expressed no interest in helping out. Councilman Kevin Bice says he’s been in contact with a snowmobile group that may be willing to help pay for the project, but didn’t know for sure as of Tuesday evening. It was pointed out the city won’t be obligated to anything by entering into the agreement.
The council also authorized the Howard R. Green engineering firm to submit an engineering proposal on a new one and-a-half million gallon water tower that would replace the existing one near the high school; adopted an ordinance giving the Police Chief authority to close streets for Fire Department training; approved architectural standards for Kabel’s Lodge and Spirit Lake Ready Mix; adopted a hazard mitigation plan; and approved a recommendation from the Betterment Committee to extend the Industrial Tax Abatement Program to all commercially-zoned areas in the city as an incentive for businesses to make improvements. The three-year tax abatement program covers remodeling and new construction.
