Walnut Grove council selects Code Red and CivicPlus, adopts fee schedule, OKs sidewalk variance and issues solid-waste RFP

The Walnut Grove City Council met at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, and voted on a package of technology, fee and public-works items that the council said aim to improve communications, municipal services and walkability.

Councilors voted to adopt a mass-notification system and a new website/billing vendor, approved an updated municipal fee schedule that changes sanitation rates and administrative charges, approved a developer's variance to delay sidewalk construction on a street near the high school, and authorized a request for proposals (RFP) for solid-waste and recycling collection services with a public bid-opening and a planned award timeline.

The council said the mass-notification system will be Code Red; the motion passed unanimously. Councilors selected CivicPlus to provide the city website and a combined billing solution for sanitation and other municipal billing; the council approved that selection in open vote. The council approved an updated fee schedule that sets single-family residential sanitation at $20 per month (including a 95-gallon refuse bin, an 18-gallon recycling bin and pickup of three yard-waste bags), with…