Seawall repair bid opening set for April 2 in Belleville

The second bid opening for repairs to the deteriorating seawall at Doane’s Landing park has been set for April 2 at the Belleville City Council meeting.
At Monday’s regular council meeting, Building Official Rick Rutherford reported that he had a Friday meeting with “new and trusted contractors” and was encouraged. He said the city is working with six possible contractors and set the bid opening date.
“I hope we get a response,” he said referring to the Nov. 27 bid opening that had only one bidder with what was considered a high bid.
He said he has shared the contractors’ bid list with the condominiums next door to the park. He said it would be good for the same contractor to work on the adjoining projects.
Rutherford said he hopes to get some better bids. He said he gave more information to the proposed contractors and encouraged them to bid.
He said he is really looking forward to these bids and, “I felt blown off last time by people who didn’t respond or ask questions.”
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
• Approved the Central Business Community’s Flop-E-Bunny Candy Hunt at noon on Saturday, March 31, at Victory Park. Also at the park will be the CAF5 selling food and the Kiwanis Club;
• Approved the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Lakeside Strawberry 5K Run/Walk and 1K Fun Run at 8:45 a.m., Saturday June 16. Plans call for parking by the high school football field with stickers. High Street and a portion of Main will be closed for the event;
• Approved the annual Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll Drive at Five Points March 23-25, from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. This is the week end of the Robotics competition at the high school;
• Approved the Memorial Day service at the Veterans Memorial on High Street at 1 p.m., May 28, put on by the Veterans of Foreign Wars 4434 and Polish League of American Veterans 167. There will be no Rolling Thunder this year. Brown Funeral Home will provide hot dogs and Grace Baptist Church will provide chairs;
• Approved the VFW 4434/PLAV 167 Buddy Poppy Sales on May 10, 11, and 12 at various locations on Main Street from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. This provides 60-70% of the income for the veterans’ groups. The funds are to be returned to worthy causes in the community and not used for post expenses;
• Approved closing High Street from 7 to 9 p.m. for the ninth season of Music Lakeside concerts. Dates are June 21, June 28, July 5, July 12, July 19, July 26, Aug. 2, Aug. 9, Aug. 16, and Aug. 23. On Aug. 16 it will be run in cooperation with Taste of Belleville, with the street closing at 4 p.m. Ken Voigt who represented Music Lakeside did not announce any artists who will be performing. He asked about the five banners for the concerts that they want to hang in Horizon Park and City Manager Diana Kollmeyer said they have to have some discussion on that;
• Approved accounts payable of $81,244, and the following purchases in excess of $500: to Mueller Systems, $800 for MTU purchase for meters, Water Dept.; to Farmer & Underwood Trucking, $793.60 for sand and gravel for a water main break, Water Dept.; to Wise Technologies, $611.24 for computers / networks for various departments;
• Heard Bill Wolters report that there are 40 registered teams coming for the Robotics competition March 23 and 24 at Belleville High School. Each team has membership between 10 and 70. There also are more than 1,000 spectators expected. The public is invited to watch the competition without charge from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 23 and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on March 24; and
• Heard Jeff Vernon say another Earth Day event is planned from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18, with kids’ events, a potluck, and park cleanup. He said the Parks and Recreation Commission is discussing community gardens and encourages input from the public.