Street paving, changing sanitation services contractor and working with the DNR to keep contaminants out of the city sewer system were the key issues for the Kalona City Council Monday.

With a total low bid of $115,578, L. L. Pelling, Inc. of North Liberty was awarded the contract for paving 3rd St. north from Highway 22 to G Ave. ($42,250), asphalting C Ave., between 5th and 4th streets, ($21,920) and resurfacing C Ave. ($51,408).

Second bidder was Streb Construction of Iowa City with a total bid of $121,500.

The Pelling bid is very near City Administrator Doug Morgan’s original $113,000 estimate for the work.

Part of the area falls within a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district which will provide some of the funding.

Sanitation service

Tim Wolfe, who as the owner of Iowa City Cleanup & Transfer, provided the city’s sanitation services told the council Monday that he has sold his business to Waste Management of Iowa, part of the largest waste management company in the world.

Wolfe, who introduced Jon Bierd, Waste Management’s district manager, said “there will be no changes in staff or in service.”

In fact, Bierd said that Waste Management has a policy of “doing business locally,” for everything from employment to using local landfills.

The council was assured that the contract will remain exactly the same, that there will be a district office in Iowa City and the 800 number that customers call for information also remains the same.

In fact, Wolfe’s daughter, Jamie, will remain with the company as site manager.

“We provide personalized services for the communities,” explained Bierd, nothing that the company’s standards for waste disposal and recycling “exceeds all public ones.”

When Waste Management acquired Iowa City Cleanup & Transfer, it bought the largest sanitation service company in Johnson County, noted Wolfe.

Bierd assured the city that contract provisions will remain the same.

DNR

The council learned that TriLeaf Corporation, which is handling environmental considerations for Kalona Oil Company, needs to correct a sewer line situation.

“It will involve digging up and hooking up the company’s sanitary sewer to the main one,” explained Moorage. In the process, some waste water will have to be run into the sanitary sewer system and it could have some fuel contaminants in it, Morgan said.

However, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be on hand and will supervise the operation, virtually guaranteeing there will be no problems.

The city will incur no expense, Morgan said, and the DNR and Tri Leaf simply need council approval to execute the procedure.

The council agreed that the work, to be done possibly in September, is advisable. However, the approval was contingent upon receiving a letter of confirmation from the DNR about no city expenses or liability.

In other business, the council:

•learned that financing its lease/purchase of a new street sweeper will be cheaper than anticipated, thanks to Hills Bank Kalona and a lower interest rate. Morgan said that the Davenport company would arrange financing, but he “checked with the local banks” and found the city could save some money.

•discussed the problem of dogs (and cats) running loose, noting that the city does have a leash law.

•learned that a number of people are using private dumpsters to dispose of trash and garbage and that the police have been called in a few instances.

•learned there have been problems with adult ball games involving littering, foul language and alcohol, specifically beer. Park rules prohibit all alcoholic beverages and all rules apply whether it is a city sponsored event or a rental of city facilities.

•received an update from the Kalona Public Library that is looking at a site for a new library and a possible architect. Library Board President Scott Stapleton said “it is our belief that the city may want to be involved,” noting that the plan is still to remain “connected” with the city. The next step, hiring an architect, is estimated in the $3,000-$5,000 range.

•learned that Morgan will attend a meeting Monday, June 28, to learn the details of the sale of Triax Cablevision to MediaCom. Representatives from other Traix- served communities are expected to attend.

•changed its July 5 meeting to July 12 at 6 p.m. to permit attendance at the Washington County Citizens Safety Center Committee meeting at 7 p.m.