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Unidentified wind energy company indicates interest in coming to Keokuk
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| Steve Dunn / Gate City Mike and Jane Frazee pick up litter along Hilton Road during the Earth Day cleanup in Keokuk Saturday morning. The Frazees were members of the ADM team. |
By Steve Dunn/Gate City Managing Editor
A wind energy component supplier may be interested in coming to Keokuk.
Mayor David Gudgel told the Keokuk City Council Thursday the unidentified company needs a five- to 10-acre site within five miles of a four-lane highway. The company would need a 100,000-square-foot building and employ 20 medium-skilled people at first.
The city-owned Kindustry Park has 71 acres available, the council noted.
Council member Susan Dunek said the city should check first with the Keokuk Economic Development Corporation before supplying the Lee County Economic Development Group with the necessary information about land availability and price. The land in Kindustry Park was turned over to the city when the KEDC no longer could afford to pay the property taxes on the land.
In other business, the council voted 5-3 to buy railroad bridge insurance with terrorism coverage from Lofton, Stebbings & Sohl of KSB Insurance Services of Keokuk for $63,328. Dunek and council members Mike O'Connor, Scott Nichols, Ron Payne and Karole Smith voted in favor of spending $53,328 for the insurance and $10,000 for the terrorism coverage. Council members Justin Tuck, Roger Bryant and Mark Hoyt objected.
During the workshop preceding the regular meeting, Tuck said he opposed spending $10,000 for the terrorism coverage because he does not believe the city should be in the bridge business.
Nichols agreed, but said the city still should protect its assets.
To benefit from the terrorism coverage, the damage to the railroad bridge would have to come from an incident deemed an act of terrorism by the Department of Homeland Security.
Even with the terrorism coverage, the city is still saving about $24,000 a year compared to the current policy. The current annual premium with terrorism coverage costs $87,500.
The council also approved the purchase of a 2008 Vactor combination sewer truck for $267,794 from Trans-Iowa Equipment, Inc. of Ankeny. The equipment has 8,325 miles and 229 hours on it. A hydro-excavator kit will be mounted on the equipment prior to delivery by May 18. Trans-Iowa Equipment also will provide Vactor factory training for one operator and on-site operator/mechanical training.
The council awarded a contract to Precision Tree Choppers of Keokuk for removing trees and stumps. The Keokuk firm will charge $398.23 per four- to 24-inch trees and stumps and $866.61 to remove trees and stumps 25 inches and above.
Other bids were Hawkins Tree Service of Keokuk, $450 for four- to 24-inch trees and stumps and $1,600 for trees and stumps 25 inches and above; Abston Tree Service of Keokuk, $650 for trees and stumps four to 24 inches and $950 for trees and stumps 25 inches and above; and Art Rickard of Hamilton, Ill., $3 per inch for stumps only.
The council awarded another contract to Meyers Driveway & Septic Service of Keokuk in the amount of $26,701 for the Belknap Place sanitary sewer replacement project. Other bids were $41,250 by Keokuk Contractors of Keokuk, $41,998 by Sammons Construction Company of Keokuk and $55,963 by Lewis Excavating & Septic of Keokuk.
In other matters, the council:
Appointed George Morgan to the Keokuk Economic Development Corporation.
Reappointed Wes Pohorsky and Judy McDonald to the Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Board.
Reappointed Tom Dickson and David Wendt to the Human Rights Commission. The commission wants to meet four times rather than six times a year and as needed.
Renewed Class C beer permits with Sunday sales for Casey's at 326 Main St. and Hy-Vee Gas.
Discussed hiring a project manager for public works projects to assist Public Works Director Gerald Moughler. Bond issues for the projects would cover the project manager's salary. Gudgel proposed advertising the position, taking applications through Iowa Workforce Development and conducting interviews. He said the project manager would be “a long term temporary employee.” Bryant said a job description should be drafted first.
Learned two bids have been received on removing yellow street striping on Main Street from Second to Seventh streets: $3,500 per block by Meyers Driveway & Septic Service and $4,000 per block by Keokuk Contractors.
Mayor David Gudgel told the Keokuk City Council Thursday the unidentified company needs a five- to 10-acre site within five miles of a four-lane highway. The company would need a 100,000-square-foot building and employ 20 medium-skilled people at first.
The city-owned Kindustry Park has 71 acres available, the council noted.
Council member Susan Dunek said the city should check first with the Keokuk Economic Development Corporation before supplying the Lee County Economic Development Group with the necessary information about land availability and price. The land in Kindustry Park was turned over to the city when the KEDC no longer could afford to pay the property taxes on the land.
In other business, the council voted 5-3 to buy railroad bridge insurance with terrorism coverage from Lofton, Stebbings & Sohl of KSB Insurance Services of Keokuk for $63,328. Dunek and council members Mike O'Connor, Scott Nichols, Ron Payne and Karole Smith voted in favor of spending $53,328 for the insurance and $10,000 for the terrorism coverage. Council members Justin Tuck, Roger Bryant and Mark Hoyt objected.
During the workshop preceding the regular meeting, Tuck said he opposed spending $10,000 for the terrorism coverage because he does not believe the city should be in the bridge business.
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To benefit from the terrorism coverage, the damage to the railroad bridge would have to come from an incident deemed an act of terrorism by the Department of Homeland Security.
Even with the terrorism coverage, the city is still saving about $24,000 a year compared to the current policy. The current annual premium with terrorism coverage costs $87,500.
The council also approved the purchase of a 2008 Vactor combination sewer truck for $267,794 from Trans-Iowa Equipment, Inc. of Ankeny. The equipment has 8,325 miles and 229 hours on it. A hydro-excavator kit will be mounted on the equipment prior to delivery by May 18. Trans-Iowa Equipment also will provide Vactor factory training for one operator and on-site operator/mechanical training.
The council awarded a contract to Precision Tree Choppers of Keokuk for removing trees and stumps. The Keokuk firm will charge $398.23 per four- to 24-inch trees and stumps and $866.61 to remove trees and stumps 25 inches and above.
Other bids were Hawkins Tree Service of Keokuk, $450 for four- to 24-inch trees and stumps and $1,600 for trees and stumps 25 inches and above; Abston Tree Service of Keokuk, $650 for trees and stumps four to 24 inches and $950 for trees and stumps 25 inches and above; and Art Rickard of Hamilton, Ill., $3 per inch for stumps only.
The council awarded another contract to Meyers Driveway & Septic Service of Keokuk in the amount of $26,701 for the Belknap Place sanitary sewer replacement project. Other bids were $41,250 by Keokuk Contractors of Keokuk, $41,998 by Sammons Construction Company of Keokuk and $55,963 by Lewis Excavating & Septic of Keokuk.
In other matters, the council:
Appointed George Morgan to the Keokuk Economic Development Corporation.
Reappointed Wes Pohorsky and Judy McDonald to the Keokuk Area Convention & Tourism Board.
Reappointed Tom Dickson and David Wendt to the Human Rights Commission. The commission wants to meet four times rather than six times a year and as needed.
Renewed Class C beer permits with Sunday sales for Casey's at 326 Main St. and Hy-Vee Gas.
Discussed hiring a project manager for public works projects to assist Public Works Director Gerald Moughler. Bond issues for the projects would cover the project manager's salary. Gudgel proposed advertising the position, taking applications through Iowa Workforce Development and conducting interviews. He said the project manager would be “a long term temporary employee.” Bryant said a job description should be drafted first.
Learned two bids have been received on removing yellow street striping on Main Street from Second to Seventh streets: $3,500 per block by Meyers Driveway & Septic Service and $4,000 per block by Keokuk Contractors.
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