By Sam Parsons

The Oskaloosa City Council met last night and discussed the Edmundson Park Playground Improvements Project. A public hearing was held to approve the plans and specifications of the project, but the city did not receive any bids on the project this time around. Members of the city staff that discussed the project with contractors said that a combination of factors led to the city receiving zero bids, including one contractor who had an issue with the schedule that has since been addressed, and another that simply did not know about the project. The council authorized the project to be re-bid; it is expected that the project will be completed by the end of September and it carries the estimated cost of $608,000.

The council also received a quarterly report from Oskaloosa Fire Chief Scott Vaughan on code enforcement; he shared that in the first quarter of 2023, there were a total of 47 cases opened by the fire department, 41 of which have been closed. Vaughan said that he expects those numbers to go up in the next quarter as the weather gets warmer.

And the council approved an application for a 2023 Healthy City grant through the National Fitness Campaign in the amount of $30,000; if the city is awarded the grant, it would be the first step toward installing an outdoor fitness court.

The next regular Oskaloosa city council meeting will be held on May 1.