Commission approves appointments to boards

Appointments to the Board of Building Trades and the Frank Carlson Library board of trustees were approved by the Concordia city commission during its regular meeting on Wednesday.
Randy Greenwood, a self-employed contractor, was re-appointed for another three-year team to the plumbing contractor position on the Board of Building Trades.
Greenwood's current term is set to expire on May 31.
City building inspector Bruno Rehbein informed the commission that there is a vacant HVAC or electrical contractor position available on the board.
The commission also approved appointing Brenton Phillips to the Frank Carlson Library board of trustees. He will fill a position left vacant following the resignation of John Van Meter.
Following a request from Doris Hale, Poppy Day chairman for the Concordia American Legion Auxiliary, Mayor Chuck Lambertz proclaimed both May 28 and July 3 as Poppy Day.
The proclamation states that the red poppy has been designated as a symbol of sacrifice of all lives in all wars and asks that all citizens pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom by wearing the Memorial Flower on the days designated.
During her report, city manager Amy Lange informed the commission that some tuckpointing work and window replacement and resealing needed to be done at the Brown Grand Theatre.
Lange said that the Brown Grand Theatre director got quotes of approximately $20,000 for each of the projects.
Because the projects are above the spending authority for Lange, the funding will have to be approved by the commission.
“The question is do we want to go out and get multiple quotes for it, or is knowing that it is a specialty contractor for tuckpointing and knowing it is a contractor that has experience doing good work on historic buildings enough to use those quotes and go forward?” Lange said.
The commissioners agreed to have Lange get some additional cost estimates for the work.
Lange presented the commission with an update on the federal grant received for demolition projects.
The city of Concordia received $48,975 in federal grant funds to assist with a demolition project.
There were 10 structures in a non-occupied and dilapidated/dangerous condition targeted for the program, with three alternate properties identified.
Lange reported that the environmental review for the grant is complete. The state has to review it and once it is approved, an asbestos inspector has to look at each one of the properties. That will determine how to write the specifications for the bids.
The North Central Regional Planning Commission will be soliciting the bids in July. Demolition could start in August.
The city has until December of 2022 to complete the demolitions.
During the meeting the commission agreed to schedule study sessions on the 2022 budget for July 12 at noon and July 13 at 3 p.m.