Monona Council will appoint Wright to fill vacancy
By Audrey Posten, North Iowa Times
At its April 1 meeting, the Monona Council unanimously agreed to appoint Tim Wright to fill the spot on the council that was recently vacated by Doug Bachman. City administrator Dan Canton said Wright will be sworn in at the next regular meeting, on April 15.
According to Canton, Wright’s appointment runs through the fall. At that time, if Wright would like an opportunity to complete the remaining two years of Bachman’s term, his name must be on the ballot for the November city election.
Project bids approved
The council accepted bids for several projects, one of which is the disposal of the 1914 city water tower. Clayton County Recycling was approved to remove the structure, at a cost of $14,699. Canton said the water tower must be removed by Oct. 31, 2019, but expected the project to be completed sooner rather than later.
In addition, the council approved the replacement of the hot water boiler at the Monona Family Aquatic Center. Casper Plumbing and Heating was tapped for the job, which will cost $21,525.
Mayor Lynn “Marty” Martinson said age and corrosion, as well as continual maintenance and repairs, warrant replacing the boiler. The council agreed it would be a good idea to complete the work now, rather than risk the boiler going out during the middle of the pool season.
Grant funding for warning sirens approved
Canton told the council grant funding for replacement of outdoor warning sirens in the city has finally been approved. The funding, which totals nearly $40,000, is part of the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.
Monona Fire Chief Dave Smith estimated the three current sirens are at least 25 years old. Canton said the new sirens will rotate and project out decibels, so only two will now be needed.
City mulling solar options
Canton said the city is currently looking into solar options for several sites in the community. Of the 11 city-owned locations, three—the water tower, pool and north lift station—may work well for a project due to surrounding space, sun exposure and higher energy demand.
There are currently individuals willing to invest in the equipment for projects like this, Canton added.
“We could do something without investing a nickel,” shared Martinson.
Plus, Canton said, Alliant Energy is considering a rate increase.
“It’s an opportune time to think about doing this,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to save, in the long run, some serious dollars.”
A committee has now been formed to looked into the idea further.
Appliance, electronics drop-off day scheduled
The council set an appliance and electronics drop-off day for Wednesday, May 8, from 3 to 6 p.m., in the parking lot across from the community center. Monona residents only can bring large and small appliances, printers, desktop computers and other miscellaneous electronics to the site at no cost on that day. Televisions can be dropped off at a cost of $20 and monitors for $10. Residents will be responsible for loading the items onto the trailer.
