With work expected to start this month on the $5 million public works facility, Grand Marais city councilors were presented low bids from McGough Construction Co. LLC, the company who is in charge of building the project. Bids were awarded at the council’s April 12 meeting.
Holden Electric Co. Inc. submitted a winning bid of $217,225 for electrical work. Range Cornice & Roofing Co. $233,939; Bedrock- Flint, Inc. masonry for $19,425; Cast-in-Place Concrete, $427,500; Veit & Co., Inc. will provide earthwork for $695,600. The Jamar Company will provide mechanical products and work for $365,000; Storefronts & Windows will install aluminum-framed windows for $32,091.
Three other bids were awarded at the end of March. Fabcon Precast, LLC will supply architectural concrete for $382,000. Northern Industrial Erectors, Inc., will install structural steel and metal fabrications for $49,150 and Briese Iron Works, Inc. will supply structural steel and metal fabrications for $94,250.
Bruce Kimmel, the senior municipal advisor for Ehlers, came before the council online. In February council asked Ehlers to develop a plan for a new city public works facility.
The planning process for the facility began in 1992. The current city garage is beyond the end of its useful life, and a new, larger code-compliant building will be built this summer to replace it. The current garage is also located adjacent to the Grand Marais Recreation Area next to the boat launch in the southwestern portion of the harbor. The DNR is proposing a $2.2 million improvement for and around the boat launch that also necessitates the removal of the current city garage.
The dollars to build the replacement building will come from using a combination of reserves drawn from the city’s Electric Fund ($700,000), General Fund ($500,000), and Sewer Fund ($300,000) with utility revenue bonds to be repaid from sewer revenue, which will contribute $1.5 million. The city will also issue a $2 million CIP Bond out of the total $5 million cost.
The council held a lengthy discussion about the community vision and values document prepared by Antonio based on more than 1,000 community comments, specific survey questions, and empirical data analysis of demographic, economic, and environmental trends.
Six core community values were identified 1) Support and enhance local business. 2) Encourage the expansion of sustainable energy uses. 3) Invest in safe, people-friendly infrastructure that supports active living. 4) Develop access to housing that all people can afford throughout their lives. 5) Expand education for the body and soul. 6) Cherish Lake Superior and other community treasures of the surrounding natural environment.
A vision statement, which went through multiple changes, was read but not adopted because councilors didn’t think it contained anything about the arts and not enough connection to the outdoors and didn’t speak to the diversity of active lifestyles and civic engagements available in the community. The comments were noted, and another vision statement will be presented shortly.
In other action:
. Council voted unanimously to sell the city’s used Tahoe to the Hovland fire department for $500.
. Following a public hearing (which no one from the public attended) council voted to vacate a portion of 13th and 14th Avenues West after receiving a petition from a majority of the landholders who own property that abuts to the road. One Roof Community Housing, who will partner with Cook County/Grand Marais EDA to build workforce houses on nearby land, will use the property.
. An application for a gambling permit for St. John’s Catholic Church was approved. St. John’s is holding a raffle on June 15.
. A permit to block off Wisconsin Street from First Avenue West to Highway 61 and block off Second Avenue West from Wisconsin Street to the alley behind Johnson Heritage Post from noon Friday, July 7 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 9, 2017, was granted for the 27th annual Grand Marais Arts Festival.
. Council discussed the shortage of public bathrooms in downtown Grand Marais. One solution proposed was to ask various businesses if they could open their restrooms to the public in exchange for some type of city-sponsored incentive. Grand Marais Mayor Jay Arrowsmith- DeCoux said he would send out emails to downtown businesses with this question and he will report back to the council with the results. Until then, more conversation will follow. As Councilor Tim Kennedy said, “We have been talking about public bathrooms forever!”
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