Cleveland Avenue West in Winnebago is shown above in a photo taken last week. The Winnebago City Council voted last Tuesday to call for bids on a street and utility project in the Cleveland Avenue area.

The Winnebago City Council met on Tuesday, July 11, at 7 p.m.

Putting the proposed Cleveland Avenue West Area Street and Utility Improvements Project out for bid was at the forefront of the agenda.

The proposed project concerns Cleveland Avenue West from Highway 169 to Eighth Street NW.

Additional areas slated for improvement include First Street, from First Avenue SW to First Avenue NW; Second Street SW, from First Avenue SW to Cleveland Avenue West; Fourth Street, from First Avenue SW to First Avenue NW; Fifth Street, from First Avenue SW to Cleveland Avenue West; and Sixth Street, from First Avenue SW to First Avenue NW.

As of last Tuesday, the Winnebago City Council had ordered plans and specifications for the project to be prepared by Bolton & Menk. The council’s next step was to pass a resolution approving the plans and specifications, and ordering advertisement for bids for the project’s construction. It is estimated to cost $6.8 million.

City engineer Matt Cole had previously informed the council that the project is eligible to receive Public Facilities Authority (PFA) funding. In a memo to the council last month, he added, “As it currently stands, pre-bid, Winnebago is estimated to receive a large Water Infrastructure Fund (WIF) Grant.” 

The grant’s final value will be determined post-bid, but its total is expected to exceed $1.5 million.

Ahead of the council’s vote to put the project out for bid, Winnebago resident Rodney Yates voiced his concerns about the city’s plans for Cleveland Avenue.

“Honestly, I’m trying to control my anger,” he said. “I thought you were resurfacing. I didn’t know you were widening (the road). I didn’t know you were taking down 51 trees.” 

Yates continued, “Inflation’s killing everyone on everything. We can’t afford this. I don’t understand who benefits from widening our street.” 

Cole addressed Yates’ concerns, first clarifying that widening the streets is not adding significantly to the project’s costs.

“We’re talking about a few percent more cost for the extra width,” he explained. “The city’s standard has been 40 feet for the last 30 years.” 

Council member Calvin Howard agreed, observing, “The cost of widening the streets is very minimal.” 

Howard added, “Nothing is going to get more inexpensive throughout the years. You bring up inflation…but this needs to get done. The stuff underneath (the streets) is 80 years old. Most of the cost is not to do with the widening of the streets or tree removal. A lot of it is the dirt removal underneath.”

As to tree removals, Cole estimated at least half of the planned tree removals are not due to the widening of the street.

“I bet half of the trees are right on top of sewer services,” Cole noted. “Many trees are in the way of constructibility of work that needs to be done.” 

Yates asked, “So, we’re just left with, it needs to be done, and we can’t afford it?” 

The council responded in the affirmative.

After closing the meeting to public comment, the council proceeded to vote on Resolution 818-2023, which would put the Cleveland Avenue West Project out for bid.

According to the resolution, the city will accept sealed bids for the project until 10 a.m. on Aug. 2. The bids will be reviewed by the City Council at its next meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 9.

Cole reminded the council, “This is not the nail in the coffin – we still have to get the bids. If the bids come in high, you don’t have to accept one at this time. You can change the scope of the project.” 

After additional discussion, the council unanimously approved Resolution 818-23.

Cole informed the council and public present that the project will most likely be completed in the summer of 2025, with affected residents’ first payments appearing on the 2026 tax roll.

In other business, the Winnebago City Council: 

• Approved a $9,450 quote from Ron’s Trenching to abandon three active watermains on Main Street, and approved a $1,600 quote from Richard L. Anderson Construction LLC to saw the concrete and asphalt on Highway 169 to complete the project.

“We still have money in the SuperValu Demolition Fund to pay for this,” city administrator Judi Hynes noted.

• Approved a $12,981.40 quote from Biorestor Bio Based Spray Systems LLC for Biorestor street sealing product.

• Approved a $4,000 one-year tractor rental agreement with Kibble Equipment.

• Passed Resolution 815-2023 approving a property tax abatement for Ron and Carolyn Howe.

• Passed Resolution 817-2023 reinstating Winnebago’s Local Board of Appeal and Equalization.

• Approved part-time officer Hunter Williams’ resignation from the Winnebago Police Department.

• Passed Resolution 816-2023 accepting a total of $1,925 in donations to the city of Winnebago.

• Approved an amendment to a noise permit for The Buzz Stop on Aug. 5, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The council also approved the closure of the alley behind the bar for the purposes of hosting a band and/or karaoke.

• Approved a noise permit for The Buzz Stop on Aug. 19, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., as well as the closure of the alley behind the bar during that time.

• Permitted Dan Klinkner, owner of Buckey’s Sales and Service, to close off Fifth Avenue SW at Highway 169 on the morning of Saturday, July 29, to hold an auction.

• Approved the closure of a portion of Third Avenue SW on Tuesday, Aug. 1, from 5 to 9 p.m., during Winnebago’s A Night to Unite.

• Approved free swimming at the Winnebago Swimming Pool on Aug. 1, from 5 to 9 p.m., for A Night to Unite.