Topic to be further fleshed out at committee level
By Kellen Olshefski
In a special meeting Monday night, the City of Elkhorn Common Council saw the return of the library façade to the agenda, but this time concerning a slab etched with the library’s name.
Ultimately, despite being a timely issue, the council voted in favor of sending the topic back to the committee level for further discussion, however, as part of the motion, asked city staff to advise the contractors to preserve the etched slab as best as possible for the time being.
City Administrator Sam Tapson said Monday night, he learned Friday replacement of the slab with Matheson Memorial Library etched into it was not part of the original contract, which calls for the slab to be replaced with a solid slab of concrete. He said he was told by the contractor to replace the slab in its current fashion would cost the city an additional $14,000.
In August 2014, the council voted in favor of sharing the cost of the project, with the city city’s contribution not to exceed $25,000.
Mayor Brian Olson questioned why this topic came up last-minute and why it wasn’t included when a bid for the project was originally submitted.
Being so last minute, Tapson explained the council needs to make some kind of decision as he was told the contractors need to know whether or not to order an etched slab and delaying a decision could mean the project would be wrapped up prior to being able to order the project. Contractors began work on the project last Tuesday.
Library Director Lisa Selje said while she hasn’t been directly involved with JP Cullen, the contractors on the project, she had read the email sent to City of Elkhorn Public Works Manager Martin Nuss, and the contractor needs to know now due to the slab taking 4-weeks to 6-weeks to order. Nuss was not in attendance at Monday’s meeting to address the issue.
With the topic being so last minute, the council began to discuss other possible options, rather than delving straight into a $14,000 additional expense.
Olson questioned the condition of the current slab, asking if it would be a possibility to repair everything around the slab while maintaining the slab as is.
Tapson said not preserving the etched slab, could lead to push back from the community.
“We also don’t know our options,” Alderman Hoss Rehberg said. “Are they able to save that portion and re-do up to it.”
Tapson said based on his knowledge, he would say probably not, otherwise they wouldn’t have raised the question.
Rehberg made the initial motion to send the discussion back to committee level in two weeks and amended his motion to include staff advises the contractor to preserve the slab best as possible in the meantime. Seconded by Alderman Scott McClory, the motion was passed unanimously.
