On the move

Moving day is almost here for Colfax City Hall and the city is preparing for the big day. The Colfax City Council approved Elite Moving Services to do the heavy lifting during its regular monthly meeting Aug. 9.

“City hall staff will be relocation to 20 W. Howard St.,” deputy clerk Amanda Bode said. “All records, storage, office supplies, phone systems, computers, safes and fireproof cabinets will need to also relocate.”

The city received two quotes for the work. Elite Moving Services had the low bid at $2,240, less than half of the second bid from Riley Moving and Storage at $5,064.

The bid includes four movers working for five hours. City staff will pack and carry all sensitive documents. The copiers will be moved by another company.

“The biggest reason for having movers is some safes and gun cabinets that are more than 500 pounds,” mayor David Mast said. “We need the proper equipment and proper procedures.”

The council approved up to $3,000 to be used for the move, in the case extra time was needed beyond the five hours quoted.

It was also approved to cap Well 3 located on North Walnut Street. According to city documents, the well has not been used since 2010 due to the well testing at six times the allowable limits for manganese.

“There currently is an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to flush Well 3 on a quarterly basis,” city clerk Nancy Earles said. “Recently when public works tried to flush the well, the pump/motor had quit working.”

The last time a pump/motor was purchased for the city, it cost $23,000 Earles said. Should the city want to keep the well open and use it to provide water to the community, not only would a pump/motor need to be purchased but the water would have to be treated. A rough estimate of the cost of treatment equipment came in at $100,000.

“Either well provides more than enough water for the city for the whole city and there are two of them,” Mast said. “At some point because of new housing we need more water, we can drill a well somewhere closer to Well 1 or 2 and hopefully not have the manganese or the distance from point A to point B to treat it.”

The Cahoy Group was approved for $8,235 to complete the work.

Two items were tabled for a future meeting during the proceedings. A motion to amend the city’s language for fireworks will be discussed at a future meeting along with the rezoning of the property 10768 Orchard Ave. from Business Commercial to Arterial Commercial.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com