Calumet Oak Street project under budget; handicap elevator project delay cited
Calumet Oak Street project under budget; handicap elevator project delay cited
By KURT HAUGLIE, DMG Writer
CALUMET — Members of the Calumet Village Council got some good financial news Tuesday when they learned the Oak Street repair project is actually under budget.
Eric Waara, from project managers U.P. Engineers & Architects Inc. of Houghton, said the project is about $10,000 under the $203,000 budgeted for it.
Waara said although some parts of the project were over budget, such as sidewalk demolition and construction, it was under on other aspects, such as the cost of fill material.
“It balanced out,” Waara said.
Waara said six new light poles have yet to be installed, and although the entire project will probably be completed sooner, it will be done no later than Aug. 31.
On a related issue, Waara said at the corner of Oak Street and 7th Street some of the sidewalk is buckling and should be repaired, but even with the extra $10,000 for the project, there isn’t enough to do the sidewalk repair.
The sidewalks are in front of two businesses on 7th Street, including one owned by Councilman Jonathan Pressel, and Waara said it may be possible for the council to arrange an agreement with the owners to split the cost of the repair.
Pressel said he has about $10,000 available for repairs. The council voted with Pressel abstaining to have Waara try to make an arrangement with the business owners for repair of the sidewalk.
On another downtown renovation issue, Waara told the council there is a delay getting started with the installation of a handicapped-accessible elevator at the River Valley State Bank building on 5th Street, which is part of the Main Street Calumet project. Waara said it took longer than expected to get approval for the installation of the elevator from the State Historic Preservation Office in Lansing.
It’s uncertain when the installation of the elevator will begin, Waara said.
The council voted to accept a new two-year contract with the village Department of Public Works employees who are represented by AFSCME Local 226.
Personnel Committee member Abe Voelker said most aspects of the new agreement will remain the same as the previous agreement except there will be a 2.5 percent wage increase for 2006 and 2007.
“We felt it was a good compromise,” Voelker said.
A contract agreement with the village police officers still needs to be worked out.
Kurt Hauglie can be reached at khauglie@mininggazette.com
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