Wyoming council approves $3.5 million in grants and multiple contracts, from veterans-park work to utility surge tanks

The Wyoming City Council on April 21 approved a suite of budget amendments, bids and contracts that finance park improvements, pedestrian trails, public art, utility projects and several service agreements.

Council accepted two grant-funded budget amendments: appropriation of $500,000 in state law enforcement officer (LEO) grant revenue for Veterans Memorial Park work and recognition of a $3,000,000 state MEDC grant for construction of non-motorized trails and wayfinding on 50 Second and 50 Sixth streets. City staff said the Veterans Park grant covered a brick-wall repair already completed and the remaining funds will support design and construction of additional improvements.

Council also authorized procurement and contract awards across departments. Highlights included: approval of a cash recycler and courier/cash-handling arrangement with a bank (city staff said the combined service would cost about $30,000 per year before interest adjustments and result in a net annual cost of just under $9,000 after increased interest earnings and reduced deposit fees); a switch in online payment processing from PayNearMe to Invoice Cloud to support Apple Pay and other options; and a first amendment to a customer-portal software-as-a-service agreement to replace a vendor whose product is being discontinued in September.

Among facility and services approvals, the council: accepted a $9,100 quote to add DSX card readers at the district court (staff said the court is applying for a grant to cover 50%); approved a $49,800 professional-services contract with Fischbeck to produce construction drawings and bidding documents for renovations to Veterans Memorial Garden (to be covered by the $500,000 grant); and accepted a $50,000 Consumers Energy Foundation grant and statement of work to commission a 32-by-15-foot mural at the Godwin Mercado, with the Lions and Rabbits Center for the Arts to run the artist selection process. Staff said the mural will be produced by a local artist and that cameras and lighting will be used as deterrents to graffiti.

Utility and operations items approved included: authorization to use multiple outside repair shops for city vehicles and equipment on an as-needed basis; repair of a second biosolids storage-tank mixer at about $9,800; annual cooperative purchases of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) — staff estimated roughly $600,000 yearly at the drinking‑water plant and about $262,000 at the wastewater plant; laboratory proficiency testing standards for $15,000; an as‑needed SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) programming authorization for $35,000; and purchase of surge suppression tanks tied to the third transmission main project at a cost just over $1.2 million (staff said the tanks must be on hand prior to pipeline construction and are funded by bonds previously issued for the transmission main).

Council voted on each resolution and purchase order as presented. Roll calls on the record show the votes were carried by the council membership present for the items recorded in the minutes; no items were tabled or voted down during the session.

In addition to procurement business, the council approved consent minutes and moved into a closed session at the end of the meeting for contract negotiations.

Public comment during the non-agenda period included an invitation from the Wyoming Historical Commission to a May 17 dedication at the Wyoming Library and an Arbor Day announcement for tree plantings on Sharon Avenue Southwest; a resident also praised recent overhead-wire burial work on 20th Street.