City Council addresses street, drainage issues

A short agenda greeted the Imperial City Council Monday night, with just a few points of business to discuss.
The Council approved a change order request by Nielsen Contracting of Kearney for an additional month to complete the Holland and East 2nd Street 2021 Paving Improvement Project.
Work began on the paving just after Labor Day and was to have been mostly completed by Nov. 1.
Nielsen Contracting is now asking that the completion date be Nov. 30.
The request for extra time was contributed to Covid illness with employees and subcontractor employees, a shortage of work force, and delays on the delivery of materials due to a weak supply chain, and the weather.
The project includes storm sewers, curb and gutters and paving on the two streets.
Council members also approved a payment request from Nielsen Contracting for $212,089.72 for the project.
Jerry Groff and Tom Kimble asked the Council to help find a solution to drainage issues at the Valley Pro Irrigation building at the corner of East 12th and Hwy. 61.
The men said that after the construction of the Ag Solution building to the west of Valley Pro, water drains from west to east, flooding Valley Pro’s inventory outside and an office floor inside.
Groff said water used to run off from his building to the lot that Ag Solution now occupies. He said “lots of fill dirt” used at the site contributes to the drainage problem now.
He suggested grade work on the area allowing water to drain east or north, or building a retaining wall on the west side of the Valley Pro property.
Council members agreed that the city can shoot some elevation shots. However, the city isn’t responsible for any damage or for fixing the problem.
City Attorney Josh Wendell said a solution needs to be reached by all parties concerned before any decision is implemented.
City Clerk Jo Leyland reported that she can’t get anyone to bid on the city offices roof repair.
The roof over the entire building was damaged by hail. The roof over the city council chambers has been replaced.
However, Leyland said the roof over the city offices still needs to be replaced. City building inspector Nick Schultz estimates that it will cost $40,000 to build a new flat roof, or $90,000 or more to build a gabled roof.
In other council business, Mayor Dwight Coleman appointed Remington Yaw as the Chase County Schools student representative to the Council, and Neva Molzer to the Housing Authority.