The Primghar Council heard preliminary scheduling plans from Chamber representatives for Cobblestone Days at their regular meeting held Wednesday May 11. Many events and activities will remain the same such as the hospital auxiliary luncheon. One change pointed out by Jaynee Rushton was the late night street dance move from Saturday evening to Friday evening. Primghar’s newest business, “The Cobblestone” is on-board with the plans. Rushton outlined other current scheduling plans for the council and the parade route scheduled for Saturday morning. Cobblestone Days is planed for Friday, June 17, 2022 through Sunday June 19, 2022.
DJ Weber of TCA attended to explain to the council the updated 28E agreement. The updates allow TCA to enter into contracts and other joint activities with other organizations and agencies. Weber noted current efforts with Evertek to provide coverage to expanded territory in the area.
Thor Klinker, representing Primghar Action Corporation (PAC) explained that a generous donation of a farmhouse had been offered to bring into Primghar. The Randolph Estates’ covenants prohibit a prebuilt home to be placed onto a lot in that development. Klinker requested a lot the city has available at 280 North Welch. Bruce Green explained the city can only give the property away if it is for a public purpose. Klinker said he was not concerned about that part. There was no final statement to that matter.
Joni Irwin asked the council for the volleyball courts to be ready by Memorial Day weekend and would like the nets to stay up until October. She also requested an additional load of sand on the north court. Some discussion was held about the tilling of the courts. The tilling keeps clumps of dirt and mud from forming and making the courts less pleasant to use. Some discussion about who would do the tilling and pay for the service was held. Irwin reported that she has been paying for the private service out of volleyball league revenues. She reported that the courts are getting a lot more use and would like the city to take over the cost. Fees for teams are being driven up when they need to pay for care expenses. The estimated cost to the league for the tilling last year was $200. Bruce Green asked why the city wouldn’t maintain the park – like putting gravel in the playground.
Other resolutions passed were to accept the 28E amendments requested by TCA, and awarding the contract for the electric transmission line replacement project. Great Plains Power submitted the low bid and they were approved by DGR. Some discussion about the contract was held. Ryan Jenness took the position that the council had not agreed on the bid. Deputy Clerk Sarah Rohwer explained that DGR worked with the city to determine and verify the submitted bids. A city must accept the lowest bid unless anyone can provide a justifiable reason why to select a bid not the lowest bid. Green also explained the limits of a city’s choice with the bidding process. Jenness wanted to know if the second lowest bidder working in the area and working with NIPCO all the time is a good enough reason. City Clerk Carol Chicoine chimed in from telephone that “unless you can come up with a reason why this firm or company is not qualified to do it – DGR has worked with this company before and they made the recommendation too. We’re talking $100,000 difference here.” Chicoine stated that she didn’t get the reasoning with Watts and asked, “What’s the difference here?” Kevin Smith, presiding over the meeting acknowledged that there were some questions about the selection. He explained that after talking with Bruce [Green] and with the councilman that “we do have to have a reason why we don’t want that and if DGR has done their homework, which I’m sure they done, and worked with them then I don’t know if we have that legit reason not to [select the low bidder).” Smith ended by saying that he didn’t know if we have a reason why not to select the low bidder. Jenness wanted more information about the company. Chicoine stated that the agenda says that the contract will be awarded that night. According to Green the decision comes down to if the council believes choosing the second lowest bidder is in the best interest of the city. Smith was forced to make the second to advance the motion to award the contract. It passed 3-1 with Councilman Tim Honkomp being absent from the meeting.