Time is of the essence when it comes to a multi-million dollar project at the Keokuk Municipal Airport.
The city council has awarded the contract for resurfacing the airport’s 5500 ft. runway to Shipley Contracting out of Burlington.
The company’s bid of just under $3.8 million came in roughly $1-million below original estimates. The city received three bids but did not consider one of them.
The federal government was on track to cover 95% of the cost of the project with the city coming up with the remaining 5%. The breakdown would have been just over $4-million vs. about $225,000.
Mayor Tom Marion says the numbers are set to change to 90%/10% under legislation pending in Washington D.C. That means the FAA would provide just over $3.8-million while Keokuk would have come up with $426,585.
Marion says Keokuk could return to the first scenario. He says the legislation to change the rates has yet to be approved.
“When I was out there (for a lobbying trip), I was told ‘No, that had not passed yet,’” says Marion, “and that if we started construction before that, we would get the 5%, which would save us about $230,000, which would be great.”
Marion says that means getting the runway resurfacing started is a top priority for the city. The project will involve layers of asphalt and concrete.
The resurfacing is contingent on the city receiving the federal funding.
IPAD PURCHASES
The Keokuk City Council is a step closer to holding “paperless” meetings. The city has purchased iPads for the nine city council members and several employees.
Mayor Tom Marion says training sessions will be held to familiarize everyone with the new devices. He says guidelines must be established as to where the iPads can be used and how to comply with public records laws.
DOG LICENSES
Keokuk could charge some pet owners more for a city license as way to encourage spaying or neutering their cats or dogs.
A proposal before the council would increase the annual fee for a non-altered pet from $10 to $25. The cost for a spayed or neutered cat or dog would remain at $5.
There would be a penalty for not obtaining a license.
Exemptions include service dogs, law enforcement dogs and dogs or cats determined to have a health reason for not being altered.
The proposal could be voted on later this month.
