Council opens bids on projects
By Curt Nettinga

HOT SPRINGS – Bid openings on a pair of sizeable construction projects highlighted the Aug. 4 meeting of the Hot Springs City Council.

A total of nine bids, with a range of more than $200,000, were received for the Cold Brook Flood Channel Restoration Project. The project, for which research was begun earlier this decade, restores the original flood channel in the city’s Cold Brook area on the north end of town. The city has purchased and exchanged property with homeowners in the area for the project, which will alleviate the need for flood insurance in the area.

According to Tracy Bastian, Public Works Engineer for the city, there is a Federal Emergency Management Association grant which will cover 75 percent of the cost of the project, with the city supplying the other 25 percent, through funds or ‘in-kind’ services.

The other project which had bid opening on Monday was for water main replacement on Indianapolis Avenue, or the Highway 18 bypass.

Bastian said that about 1,000 feet of water main will be replaced later this summer. “Right now, we have a break in the old existing line and people are getting water through supplemental system,” he said. “The (S.D.) Department of Transportation has a milling and overlay project planned for next year on that stretch of road, so they are encouraging any utility work be done beforehand.”

There were seven bids received for the Bypass water main. Bids for Cold Brook and the water main were referred to the Public Works Committee and to Bastian for study and recommendation at the next council meeting.

The old wooden jail house near the depot will receive a new roof this summer, after the council approved spending an estimated $1,000 of the Alltel money to pay for shingles and possible sheeting of the building.

Local contractor Brian Spitzer had offered to donate the labor needed to replace the roof, if the city would purchase the supplies. City Streets Superintendent Gene Weisser advised the council that the building was badly in need of repairs, citing holes in the roof.

The council approved a motion to authorize Bastian to file an application with the Federal Aviation Administration for a planning and design grant. Bastian said that the grant would allow for up-front money for the design. “This will let us get the money for the project 6 to 8 months earlier than we normally would,” he told the council.

The council authorized Mayor Don De Vries to seek funding and bonding for the debt of the library and golf course. De Vries said that he is negotiating and has received some good quotes for the project, which would be paid with the second penny of the sales tax. De Vries said he would expect the loan of slightly more than $1 million to be paid off within 10 years.

Golf course superintendent Arlin Fenhaus sent a letter to the council, outlining policies he would like to consider adopting, concerning minimum age for operation of golf carts due to a high rate of damage to the carts and to the course. Fenhaus also noted that there is a shortage of range balls. He said that golfers are using range balls to hit over canyons and in other places where they don’t wish to lose their own golf balls. Fenhaus expects to need to purchase an additional 1,200 range balls to make it through the summer, after purchasing 4,000 this past spring.

In other action, the council:

• Discussed and tabled a petition for a utility and structure easement for Steve and Carla Simunek. Steve Simunek told the council that there is a existing access agreement, the easement was not included in the plat by the surveyor. “This is adding to the existing agreement,” he said. “It won’t change the labeling of the property.”

• Approved a joint use agreement with the Hot Springs Boys and Girls Club, for use of school property. The Hot Springs School District had required the agreement.

• Approved a motion to allow the Rotary Club to serve alcohol for a dinner for the Lean Horse Ultra-marathon runners and crews on Aug. 22.