By Rich Palzewic
Staff Writer
DE PERE – The De Pere Common Council approved several items at its Tuesday, June 16, virtual meeting, including road work.
The council approved awarding a contract for curb repair and street resurfacing to MCC for $1,360,837.
Several streets were removed from the contract to remain within budget.
The work includes spot storm relay, inlet repair and replacement, manhole adjustments and repair, spot curb and gutter replacement, asphalt concrete pavement milling, pulverizing, paving and pavement patching.
The work also includes surface paving of the Honeysuckle Acres fourth addition, Garrity’s Glen South and Pine Trail Crossing subdivision developments.
Project costs came in slightly higher than budgeted due to some additional asphalt work and curb and gutter repair on the resurfacing streets.
“I have no objection to MCC getting the bid, but I am voting ‘no’ because I wasn’t comfortable delaying some street projects at the last-minute here,” said alder Jonathon Hansen. “In past years, we’ve delayed a couple of other projects like the Talbot/Oakdale Avenue neighborhood, and I didn’t want us to fall further behind.”
The seven other alders voted “yes” to award the contract to MCC.
Curfew questioned
Hansen also asked Mayor James Boyd to clarify why the city enacted a curfew from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. beginning at 9 p.m. June 6 and ending at 6 a.m. June 8.
“The intent going in was to not issue a curfew,” said Boyd. “When Friday (June 5) turned into Saturday (June 6), most municipalities had enacted a curfew. At that point, I had done an interview with the local television station, and at the start of the interview when it was aired Saturday, (the station) stated, ‘If you want to protest, go to De Pere after 9 p.m. Saturday.’ When I heard that and after talking to the police chief, we felt it was best to put the curfew into play.”
Boyd said no citations were issued for citizens not following the curfew.
Donations accepted
With unanimous votes, the council accepted several donations to the fire and police departments.
For the fire department, $300 was accepted from D & B Klika and $500 from Cabinet Connection to be placed in the department’s donation account.
Bedford Paper also donated $300 worth of bath tissue and paper towel supplies.
Country Financial donated $1,000 to be used for the police department’s K-9 fund.