DARLINGTON — At the City of Darlington meeting held on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. the council conducted normal business
Mark Digman of Delta 3 presented plans, cost opinions and maps of a proposed project to construct nine new campsites that will connect to the existing campground and will feature water, electric and sewer connections for the new sites (the current sites have only an electric hookup).
The new sites will begin at the site of the now razed Xtreme Car Wash and continue in back of Wally’s Bar & Grill and eventually connect with existing campground road in Pecatonica River Trails Park.
Bids will go out and be awarded in Aug. 2023 and the project is slated to be completed by Nov. 10, 2023. An opinion of probable cost is approximately $225,000 and the funds for this project will be borrowed.
The council voted go ahead to the plans and to go out and gets bids.
WEM buyout of two properties
The City of Darlington has been in contact with Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), requesting grant opportunities for buildings in the city that would qualify for a buyout and demolition. No funds have been available until early July. The city was informed that funds had become available due to other projects in the state being canceled.
Two buildings in the city, one owned by Lawrence Burns (previously The Creamery) at 220 Wells Street and Jeff Schuetz (previously Al’s Trucking) at 123 E. River Street have both spoke to the city about being bought out. The actual purchase price for each of the buildings will be determined by an appraisal done by a commercial appraiser.
The total estimated costs for the two buildings is $340,200, with the city being responsible for $42,525 of the total costs. It was unclear if the demolition costs are included in the $340,200.
The Schuetz property would be turned into a grass park area and the Burns property would be turned into a city parking lot. Both properties are in the floodway.
The city approved going forward with applying for the grants through WEM and Federal Emergency Agency (FEMA).
In other city business:
● Approved a temporary class “B” retailers license for Wiegel Strong Foundation for a fenced in area in the Festival Grounds from Aug. 19 at 8:00 a.m. thru Aug. 20 at 1:00 a.m. for Luke Fest.
● Approved June 30, 2023 financial statements for city, water dept. and sewer dept.
● Approved and adopted Ordinance 04-2023, an ordinance amending chapter 10.22 and creating 10.23 of the municipal code of the City of Darlington to adopt Wisconsin Administrative Code.
● Approved applying for a rate increase with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin for water rates. The rates would increase by 8% and would cost average residential customer an additional $5.04, a large residential customer $6.86.
● Darlington Schools administrator Cale Jackson and School Board President Bob Hermanson were present to report to the city council that the school’s FEMA Gym (tornado shelter) had the contractor skip town. Jackson stated the school had insurance in case this happened and now the new building’s progress is in the insurance company’s hands — to get a new contractor and reboot the project. The city applied for the FEMA funds on behalf of the school. Because the project was bonded, the school will only pay what they originally bid the project for.
