Calumet council approves MEDC Greenspace grant award, OKs change order

The Calumet Village Council voted to approve a contract award and a related change order for the MEDC Greenspace grant at a special meeting Sept. 3, moving the project closer to construction.

Village Manager Megan Haselden read a letter outlining the grant request and reviewed the final site plan before the council took up motions to proceed. Jeff Ratcliffe of KEDA spoke during the public petition period in support of the project, saying, "this is the final step needed to begin the final stage, construction." The remarks reflected support from three community members who addressed the council during the petition period.

Trustee Pamela Que moved, seconded by Trustee Bernice Smith, to approve the Notice to Award the grant contract as presented. The council took a roll-call vote: Yeas — Que, Smith, Ryan, Ranville and President Rob Tarvis; Nays — Peggy Germain and Virginia Dwyer. The motion carried 5-2.

Trustee Andrew Ranville then moved, seconded by Trustee Pamela Que, to approve Change Order #1 to provide the additional funding requested for the project. That measure passed by the same 5-2 margin (Yeas — Que, Smith, Ryan, Ranville, Tarvis; Nays — Germain, Dwyer).

There were no additional public comments later in the meeting. Trustee Pamela Que moved to adjourn, seconded by Trustee Andrew Ranville; the meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m. and Clerk Lori Weir filed the minutes.

The approvals authorize the village to proceed with the final stage of the Greenspace project as presented to the council; details of the contract and the dollar amount of the change order were not specified in the minutes.