The Ellsworth City Council held a public hearing at their Monday evening meeting on the town’s watertower project. There were no objections raised during the hearing. Jim Leiding of the Bolton and Menk engineering firm updated the council on the bidding process for the project. The deadline for the project is expected to be in November 2026.This was a hurdle for several of the potential bidders Leiding spoke with. This was due to a back log of jobs for available steel crews. He suggested that the Ellsworth City Council consider extending the project to the fall of 2027. Ellsworth Public Works supervisor Nick Vanlangen expressed concerns about the increased cost of replacement for the RO membranes and sand filters as their efficacy is compromised currently due to the number of cycles the water plant and tower must endure due to increased usage in the industrial park. Discussion of a smaller tower was had however a smaller tower does not change the need for a longer timeline and or earlier completion date. The current bids in hand will be discussed at the regular council session on July 22nd.
Upgraded amenities in the city park was another topic for the Ellsworth City Council. A sale bill with a quote for a new set designed for 3- to 12-year-olds that would be placed between the park shelter in Ellsworth and the old water plant. It would have pea gravel for the footing. The quote was for $27,179 for just the equipment which did not include the labor for installation or the pea gravel. The Ellsworth City Council and City Clerk Heidi Eckers discussed the option of using Ellsworth Bingo funds as a match for a few grant applications to help pay for the improvements. There was no decision made by the Ellsworth City Council. The Ellsworth Parks Board will meet August 6th at 6 p.m. at the park shelter house to discuss the matter further.
Representatives of the Ellsworth Public Library on Monday evening were present to request a Bingo donation of $2,780.81 to help with the costs involved in a Story Walk project along the eastern part of the Jewell Ellsworth trail. Conservation Creations, the non-profit DeDe Henderson represents applied for and received a $4000 POET grant to help with the project costs. The council approved a Bingo donation of $2,780.81 to Conservation Creations to help with the funding for the Ellsworth Library-supported project.