On Tuesday evening, the Ellsworth City Council met with Jim Leiding of the Bolten and Menk engineering firm on changes made to the Ellsworth Water Storage Tank Improvement Project. Bids will be opened on April 7th at 3:00 p.m. for the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the work involved for the storage tank. The bids will be considered at the April 13th council meeting. The date for the April 13th hearing will be officially set at the March 25th council meeting.
A resolution in support of the submission of an application to the “Hometown Pride” program was another Ellsworth City Council agenda item. Ellsworth City Clerk Heidi Eckers discussed with the council a contribution from the city of Ellsworth of $750 annually for a five-year commitment of $3750 and the benefits of the vibrancy program and access to a professional to help with grant finding and writing for projects in the city and for the community. The Ellsworth City Council approved the resolution.
There was a discussion on the 28-E agreement with the EJS Police Department. The EJS (Ellsworth Jewell Stanhope) Police Board will make decisions and consider potential revisions to the proposed 28-E agreement at the April meeting. The Ellsworth City Council can hold out on adopting and voting on the proposed 28-E agreement until the first meeting in June.
In other matters, the Ellsworth City Council was presented a contract between the City and Robb’s Tree Service for the 2027 Fiscal Year for the flat rate of $850 per tree. A tree inventory will be performed on private property in the coming month. City clerk Eckers will be drafting a letter to the residents of Ellsworth and will include a copy of the current ordinance for dangerous and dead trees on their property. The citizens will have the opportunity to either utilize the rate of $850 per tree removal directly to Robb’s Tree Service or have the fees assessed to their utility bill in a one or 2-year financed plan. The plan will be presented to the Ellsworth City Council for approval at the next council meeting on March 24th. An insurance coverage contract with EMC Insurance Shomo Madsen for $96,864 was approved for the 2027 Fiscal Year. A request by the U.S.D.A. to mitigate wildlife at the city lagoons as a bird flu preventative measure for the adjoining property’s turkey barns. The request was passed 4 to 1 with council member Ladana Sogard voting no.
The Ellsworth Community Association will have a Trivia Night on the third Friday of each month. The association held a Trivia Night in February that drew an excellent turnout of participants. Trivia Night returns on Friday, March 20th.