City approves signing engineering agreement

Moving forward with the widening of the shoulder of U.S. Highway 81 at First Street, the Concordia city commission voted to approve Mayor Mark Matthew signing an agreement for engineering services with Campbell & Johnson, P.A.
Campbell & Johnson submitted a proposal for services including design, bid specifications, bid letting and construction inspection for the project at a cost of $39,460. It will be paid for out of the city's capital improvement fund and from Cloud County Coop Elevator Association, Inc./Concordia Terminal LLC.
Total estimated costs for the project is $313,720.
City manager Amy Lange informed the commission in January that the Cloud County Coop Elevator  Association and Concordia Terminal LLC had offered to contribute 70 percent of the estimated cost of the project. The city will cover remaining 30 percent, or about $100,000, plus any cost overruns.
The commission, during the January 16 meeting approved authorizing Lange to proceed with a contract for design for the geometric improvement at the intersection.
The purpose of the project is to provide a wider turning radius required for heavy, slow-moving agricultural truck traffic that frequents the intersection.
Under the agreement with Campbell & Johnson, the field work and design engineering would be completed by October 1, 2019. The bidding phase will be completed by December 6 with commission approval of the project scheduled for December 19. The construction phase would begin March 1, 2020, with completed construction by June 13, 2020.
The city was originally looking at installing a right turn lane on U.S. Highway 81 at First Street with improvements to First Street and several intersections along First Street at an estimated cost of $2.6 million. That was the pared down to $660,000 for a turn lane only, and then to the current $313,720 project for the widening of the shoulder.
The city had applied for funding for the project from the Kansas Department of Transportation in 2016, 2017 and 2018, but was denied each time.
Ron Copple, the city's director of public works, sent proposals for engineering services to Campbell & Johnson and RMA Engineering, LLC. Both are located in Concordia.
Copple said he also advertised the project in the newspaper.
RMA Engineering did not submit a bid because of its current workload.
Also during the meeting, the commission approved a lease/purchase agreement for a Savin IM C4500 copier from Century Business Systems for $7,260 with a 36-month lease and a $1 buyout.
City clerk Stacey Smith informed the commission that the copier will replace the one at City Hall that was purchased from Century Business Systems in September 2012.
According to information provided by Smith to the commission, the new copier will keep the city current with technology.
The current Kyocera copier will be moved to the Concordia Fire Department.
New CloudCorp executive director Kim Reynolds introduced herself to the commission during the meeting.
Reynolds started as the executive director on January 2.
"It has been very eventful, and fun and a learning experience," Reynolds said.
Reynolds' duties include recruiting, retaining and helping with business expansion within the county.
"I also facilitate and collaborate with private businesses, public entities, non-profit organizations to make sure we are all working toward the same goals for economic development," Reynolds said.