By Sam Parsons

The Ottumwa City Council met last night and awarded contracts for the Green Street Sewer Improvements Project. Public Works Director Larry Seals said that this project originated last year, but at the time, the city postponed it in the hopes that supply chain issues would be resolved. The contract was split into two parts with the more substantial part ($1.655 million) awarded to J&K Contracting, LLC, and the smaller portion (~$186,000) awarded to DC Concrete and Construction, LLC.

The council also passed a resolution establishing new fees for services from the city’s Planning Department. The city’s fence permit fee was raised from $35 to $50; community development director Zach Simonson pointed out that this is a flat fee and not based on the valuation of the fence. The city also established a fee for certificates of zoning compliance and set it at $35, which Simonson said is in line with similar fees charged by other cities.