City Hall improvement amendment heads to council
May 15—OTTUMWA — The Ottumwa City Council will consider a resolution to amend the original project scope for the City Hall renovation during Tuesday's meeting council chambers.
The city rejected the bids for the original cost of the project, which was well over $1 million more than was budgeted through a combination of funding sources.
The amendment, which is in front of council, will scale back some of the restroom remodeling on the second and third floors of the building, as well as reduce the number of heating and cooling zones from 12 to eight. Other changes would be reducing construction phasing for first-floor construction by relocating employees, as well as selecting material alternatives.
The resolution calls for the overall revision of bid documents to reflect the changes to the scope of work. As a result, the contract will go up from $275,750 to $297,750.
Also, if any asbestos would be found in the building, the city would have to take out a separate contract for the removal process.
In other business:
— A public hearing will take place to amend the 2040 Our Ottumwa Comprehensive Plan by making future zoning compatible with the city's land use plan, which identifies uses for each part of the community. If approved, it will be the third amendment to the comprehensive plan since it's adoption in 2020.
— The second consideration of ordinances for zoning changes at 526 E. Second St. and 1508 Albia Road will be considered.
— The city also is expected to approve a new three-year lease agreement with the Ottumwa Community School District for use of the Beach Ottumwa facilities. The agreement comes on a sliding fee schedule, in which the school district would be $48,400 the first year, $50,820 the second year and $53,360 the third year. Each year includes 325 hours of usage, but the school district will be charged $165 per hour if it requires more time.
The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. and can be viewed on the city's YouTube page.
Wapello County Board of Supervisors
The supervisors return to session after two weeks off and have a lengthy agenda for Tuesday's meeting.
One of the agenda items is the memorandum of understanding between the the county and AFSCME Iowa Council 61, the union that represents the Secondary Roads Department.
According to the MOU, secondary roads employees, starting July 1, will receive an across-the-board wage increase of $1.60 per hour as a market adjustment, in additional to the negotiated wage increase that is effective the same day. The MOU is a three-year extension through June 30, 2026
Starting July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025, employees will receive a 5% across-the-board increase. Also as part of the MOU, employees will be reimbursed up to $200 every other year for the purchase of approved safety shoes/boots.
The supervisors are also expected to formalize their letter of support for the COPS program, which is a federal grant program that would allow the hire of two deputy sheriffs.
Various tax suspensions also are on the agenda, as is an item for county employees staying in hotels while traveling. To be reimbursed for the stay, the lodging establishment's employees must have undergone human trafficking prevention training, and proof must be provided.
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the third-floor courtroom/board room of the courthouse.
— Chad Drury can be reached at cdrury@ottumwacourier.com, and on Twitter @ChadDrury
