Sean C. Morgan
The Sweet Home City Council on Tuesday, Dec. 10, agreed to contract with Exca-Drain Construction of Halsey to build a new sidewalk on the west side of Mountain View Road.
The council approved the contract during its regular meeting.
The $295,000 bid was one of 11, and Exca-Drain was the official low bidder.
The project includes a new sidewalk from Elm Street to Ames Creek on the west side of Mountain View along with a bridge across Ames Creek connecting to the existing sidewalk north of the creek.
The project includes storm drainage and new waterline placement, said Public Works Director Mike Adams.
Bids ranged up to $374,000. The engineer’s estimate was $299,000.
Funding for the project is part of the city’s 2013-14 operating budget.
Voting for the contract were councilors Craig Fentiman, Mayor Jim Gourley, Bruce Hobbs, Greg Mahler and Dave Trask. Scott McKee Jr. and Marybeth Angulo were absent.
The council also approved an ordinance allowing Sweet Home Sanitation to increase rates for commercial and residential services by 3.5 percent.
That would increase the average residential bill by 76 cents.
The council received the request Oct. 22.
“Since our last rate adjustment in March of 2012, we have experienced intervals of high fuel prices and weak commodity markets,” said District Manager Scott Johnson and Operations Manager Josh Metcalf in a letter. “Landfill disposal rates have and will continue to increase. Additionally, we have seen the CPI increase at an average of just over 2 percent per year. We feel it would be an appropriate time to open the discussion on rate adjustment.”
If Sweet Home Sanitation were to seek the full CPI change for the period since its last adjustment, 4.5 percent, they said, the requested increase would have been 97 cents.
The request also includes a similar rate increase for the Sweet Home Transfer Station, with an additional fee for unsecured and “untarped” loads to assist in mitigating litter issues.
The council will place the request on its agenda and act on it at a later date.
Sweet Home Sanitation is moving forward with a plan for an annual event to dispose of hazardous household waste. On Oct. 1, Linn County approved a 59-cent surcharge for hazardous household waste.
In other business Tuesday, the council:
n Recommended to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission the approval of a liquor license for Spoleto’s Pizzeria and Wine Shop to allow the sale of wine for off-site consumption.
Spoleto’s has been operating since 2010, and has a full on-premises sales license.
There have not been any liquor violations attributed to the business since its license was issued in 2010, said Police Chief Jeff Lynn.
n Reappointed Lance Gatchell to the Sweet Home Planning Commission, with a term expiring on Dec. 31, 2017. He was appointed to fill a vacancy on Oct. 23, 2007 and was reappointed to a four-year term in 2009.
n Approved changes to the Sweet Home Public Library policy manual. Among changes to the manual are a requirement for a current phone number and including camper parks in facilities considered to be in transit.
Library cards issued to a household with several individual patrons can now be linked and blocked if one becomes delinquent.
It clarifies issuance of cards to children and the financial responsibility of parents and guardians. It adds a probationary period for new patrons, suspension of patron privileges and various clarifications about renewals, Internet use, lost materials, overdue materials, fines and “courtesy checkouts.”
It also includes information regarding child neglect and that library staff members are now mandatory reporters of child abuse.
n Approved an ordinance eliminating references to “infractions” and replacing them with the word “violations.”