IRON MOUNTAIN - Construction on A Street in Iron Mountain is moving along well, Iron Mountain City Council members learned Monday night.
According to City Manager Jordan Stanchina, the utility work has been completed on the project and the lift station on A Street has been tied into the system and is online.
Remaining work near the lift station is mainly landscaping and restoration work, which includes curb and sidewalk repair, he added.
Councilman Dale Alessandrini asked whether the project also includes cleaning out the storm lines.
"They (contractor) will hire someone to do that and clean out the catch basins," Stanchina said.
Councilman Colin Jacobetti asked what the completion date for the project would be.
Stanchina said that the estimated completion date was Oct. 1.
"Pavement is down on the 400 Block after dealing with the problems with runoff from rains. The 500-800 blocks are left for paving and curb work," Stanchina noted.
The reconstruction of East A Street began on June 1, starting on the 400 Block and progressing east toward Park Avenue.
At Monday's meeting, the council approved paying pay a fourth pay request from the contractor, James Peterson Sons Inc. for work on the West B Street lift station/East A Street project. The pay request totaled $245,577.12
Stanchina also reported on the recent meeting with the city of Kingsford and Iron Mountain on deer management issues. He noted that they are looking at having policies available to the council by the next meeting. During this first year of implementing a bow shoot, they are looking to start out with "a small, limited program."
These areas available for a bow shoot would be a minimum of 10 acre parcels, Stanchina said.
Councilman Dave Farragh said that where the problems are with deer in the city, there are no 10-acre parcels. "We can't use a bow shoot in those areas," he said.
One of the problem areas within the city with a high concentration of deer is the Pine Grove Country Club. This property is mostly in the city of Iron Mountain and partly in Breitung Township. Jacobetti wanted to know if the city could work something out with the golf course.
"We can talk with them and see if we can have a bow shoot there, too," Stanchina said. "That will cut off the whole Heights deer supply."
Jacobetti also asked whether there would be something in place by the fall.
"That's what we are looking for - a limited bow hunting for the first year," Stanchina said.
He added that they will be looking at the policies that were put in place in the city of Ironwood. A similar type of bow hunt was implemented there.
At Monday's meeting, the council also received an update on the city's application for a grant from the Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund. Initial scoring of the city's project application totaled 3,040, which is up from the previous year's score of 3,010.
The city is seeking a $500,000 grant to make improvements to the park that include a disc golf course, skateboard park, expanding the deer enclosure, new trails, two athletic fields, ice skating rink, planting native trees with interpretive signage, a new restroom, additional picnic tables, reconstructing the pond with a liner and fountain, and both paved and unpaved trails.
Mayor Bruce Rosen added that the city has until Oct. 1 to make any changes to the project as well as obtain additional funding sources to step up the matching funds needed for a grant.
To better the city's chances, a 26 percent local match was being planned coming from monetary donations as well as inkind work on the project.
"We are in dire need to increase out donations/inkind services for the project and show the support of the community for the plans at City Park," Rosen said. He asked each council member to help out in getting additional funds pledged.
"This news about our score shows we are real close, and it's encouraging," Rosen added.
Linda Lobeck's e-mail address is llobeck@ironmountaindailynews.com.