Village plans to bid out water, sewer lines
The village of Cambridge is planning to go out for bids to take water and sewer lines across Rt. 82 south of Rt. 81 to property that’s been given to the Cambridge fire district.
Engineer Scott Kammerman of Missman, Stanley and Associates told trustees Monday that bids could be obtained for approval at the Sept. 29 board meeting. It was noted the work needs to be done when crops are out of the field to avoid crop damage, and it could take 90 days.
“Barring complications with the weather it should go fairly quickly,” he said.
Kammerman said engineers are placing water and sewer lines outside the state’s right-of-way where possible, in order to facilitate the process of getting a permit to cross Rt. 82. He said they do not have the I.D.O.T. permit in hand, but the state has approved of the alignment of the project.
The village can go ahead with its work although the fire district doesn’t have all its plans worked out, according to Trustee Bill Schehl.
“I know they’re looking at a very large expense and trying to figure out where they’ll get the money. That’s where they are,” he said.
The board had good things to say about the Cambridge Main Street car show.
Mayor Jim Crouch thanked Main Street program manager Sheryl King for all her work.
“I know she had a lot of volunteers,” he said. “I’d like to thank them, they did a very good job.”
Trustee Dick Burns was among those volunteers; he said Cambridge did well in attracting 151 cars.
“We didn’t really expect that many. It turned out great,” he said.
Trustee Grady Usrey said public works employees did good work before, after and during the car show.
Duane Else of the Cambridge Masonic Lodge said the Masons would like to see a Welcome Wagon program begun to try to keep people in town.
“The Masonic Lodge would give a fruit basket or some type of item,” he said. “Businesses, they’re very much in favor of doing something like this.”
The board said no permit was necessary, and agreed the village could work with the Masons and provide names of new residents.
The board also amended the wording of the ordinance describing qualifications for a village administrator.
“We felt we were pretty restrictive by how the qualifications were written,” said Schehl.
An inspection of the water tower revealed lead in the exterior paint, which raises the cost of repainting. The water committee will review project components to prioritize them.
Troy Coziahr was approved as trustee to fill the vacancy left when former trustee Jim Crouch replaced Dwaine Van Meenen as mayor.
The board also released another home that was part of a past home rehabilitation grant from the village’s lien.
The board also:
• learned the county is rebidding the courthouse parking lot project in December for next spring
• learned plans are progressing for a firefighter and police memorial at Memorial Park
• learned the village hall exterior is painted and repaired and work can now shift inside to the east of the meeting room
• learned the cemetery committee decided against a $5,200 fence sandblasting and will check another method
• learned two to three people per week continue to sign up for curbside recycling