Council approves bonds for Phase II of downtown project

Melodie Phelps, News Editor

Monticello — During a special session held on Wednesday, June 24, the Monticello City

Council took care of several matters related to Phase II of the Downtown

Water and Sewer Renovation Project. The project is slated to begin in the

next several days, according to officials.

During the meeting, the council approved the 2009 utility revenue bond

ordinance. Bids were then opened for the $800,000 bond issue. The city

received only one bid for the bonds which was from USDA Rural Development.

The bid, at 4.125 percent, was approved by the council.

The council also approved interim financing for the project in the

amount of $800,000. The interim financing will be in place until the revenue

bond issue is closed.

K. Carrender Construction from Somerset is the contractor for Phase II

of the Downtown Water and Sewer Renovation Project.

Also during last week's meeting, the council approved a resolution that

will allow the city to pursue funding from USDA and the Economic Development

Program for an $8.5 million improvement project at the Monticello wastewater

treatment facility. Kelly Gillespie, with Bell Engineering, told council

members that the sewer plant is now 23 years old, and there are some

problems at the facility that need to be fixed.

Gillespie said that USDA has some funds available at this time for a

project like this. He noted that this would be a good time to look at

completing an improvement project.

The council also gave the go-ahead for the Monticello Fire Department to

seek FEMA grant funding for an expansion to the fire station. During the

council's last meeting, they had discussed the possibility of seeking money

to build another station, but last week Fire Chief Steve Ferrell said that

the department would like to go after grant money to expand the current

station.

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