City staff present $1.439 million preliminary estimate for Central Avenue extension to serve new elementary school

City administration presented a services agreement with ISG (I and S Group) on Oct. 7 to provide design, bidding and construction administration services for the Central Avenue Extension Project. Staff said the project would extend Central Avenue South about 1,240 feet and include sanitary, water and storm sewer infrastructure to serve a proposed Lamar Community School District elementary school to the west and residential properties to the east.

Administration said it is negotiating cost‑sharing arrangements with the school district and the developer and recommended council approve the agreement so site grading could be coordinated in the spring. The project’s preliminary cost estimate reported to council was $1,439,000. City staff clarified that the ISG design scope covers the Central Avenue extension only and does not include a private drive the school has requested.

Councilmember Clark raised concerns about the project cost and whether utilities were already in place after the school site was relocated. Clark said he was concerned about placing a $1.439 million burden on city taxpayers if utilities were not already available; staff and a project representative discussed that utilities and detailed cost‑sharing remain under discussion. The developer (Steve Schuster) and the school are part of those ongoing conversations, and the transcript excerpt does not record a council vote on the ISG agreement.

At the time of the Oct. 7 meeting excerpt, administration recommended approval and staff wants to coordinate grading with the school and developer in spring, but funding arrangements and final contract approval were unresolved in the excerpt provided.