Iola City Council members will decide Monday whether to go ahead with construction of a pedestrian bridge spanning Elm Creek on South Washington Avenue.
A bid from B&B Bridge Co., St. Paul, to erect a bridge for $345,622., is about $4,000 below engineer’s revised estimates.
The city has received $269,500 in various grants secured by Thrive Allen County, leaving a $76,000 gap.
The gap wasn’t initially evident because the original engineer’s estimates were that the bridge could be built for about $250,000. However, those estimates failed to include installation costs.
If the city follows through, the local funding would come from Iola’s capital projects fund.
There’s also the possibility that gap could be lessened further, Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock said.
He has contacted the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, which has already awarded the city $197,000 for additional grant funds, and was encouraged by their response.
The KDWP&T project selection board would “consider it with a high priority” at the board’s next meeting, tentantively planned for the week after Thanksgiving.
The city should know after that meeting if any added funding will be provided.
ALSO ON the agenda Monday is a decision on whether to approve cost-of-living adjustments employee salaries in 2018.
The city learned the Consumer Price Index — used by the Social Security Administration to determine annual benefits and based on the rate of inflation — is increasing benefits by 2 percent next year.
The city already has budgeted for a 2 percent increase in salaries, Schinstock said.
THE Council also will consider a site plan for construction of a new Community Health Center building at 2051 N. State St.
The plan was endorsed by the Iola Planning Commission, pending minor revisions to information regarding landscaping requirements and utility service location. That additional information is required by city code.
MONDAY’S 6 p.m. meeting will be at the New Community Building at Riverside Park. The public is invited.
