By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
An unplanned roof repair at one of the two city-owned Burlington airport buildings drew some ire Tuesday night.
After working to install gutters on the 703 building, workers found rust on the fascia below the roof. The airport committee approved a $25,000 expenditure to make the further repairs – which weren’t originally in the budget for the year.
After discussing the issue in the Committee of the Whole meeting of the City Council Tuesday night, council members were reassured that the proper order would be followed next time – with the council approving the expenditure before it happened.
However, that left Alderman Tom Vos mulling over comments until the COW meeting had been adjourned and the council meeting started.
Vos expressed concern that the issue happened in spite of policies being in place to prevent it.
“I think we got took. Without any private bids … I think we got schnookered,” Vos said. “I sure hope it doesn’t happen again. It just burns my butt.”
Alderman John Ekes did point out during the COW discussion that, with the roof off to put in the gutters and corrosion discovered, the work did need to be done at that point.
Both Mayor Bob Miller and City Attorney John Bjelajac assured Vos that procedure would be followed in the future.
The approval of the expenditure is on the agenda for the Sept. 1 Common Council meeting.
Leaf collection
Also discussed in the Committee of the Whole Tuesday night was the approval of a three-year lease with ASDA for the use of two low-step garbage trucks for leaf collection.
According to city staff, the Department of Public Works is looking to decrease its fleet of vehicles and sell the 1997 Ford Garbage Truck it currently owns for leaf collection.
DPW Supervisor Dan Jensen explained, when asked, that the current truck is old, and the combination of depreciation on the vehicle, repairs and limited use (only nine weeks out of the year) made leasing a better option.
ASDA provided the low bid for $45 per hour for the trucks. The estimated cost of the lease is $10,800 a year, and could come out of the DPW’s contract services budget.
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