Three veteran city administrative staff members will form a team to serve in as interim city managers until a new manager can be hired.

Dodie Wolfgram, finance director, Beth Chelsevig, administrative services director and Ken Wetzler, public works director, will work collectively to oversee the day-to-day business for the city.

The City Council approved an agreement with the three Monday night. The agreement outlines that the Wolfgram, Chelsevig and Wetzler will retain their current positions while operating as the interim team.

The team will also receive an additional $928 each per month as interim city manager pay. The payments begin with the Dec. 25, 2020 payroll and will continue until a new city manager is appointed or another arrangement is put in place.

The council executed a separation agreement with former City Manager Jeff Sheridan in early December. Sheridan had been in the position since August 2019.

At its last meeting, the council authorized staff to send out requests for proposals from several midwest search firms for the city manager position.

Change order

A change order was approved for the facade project at the former Elks Building, 713 Second St.

Lindsay Henderson, community vitality director, said the change order addresses the scope of work by Westbrooke Construction for the project.

“These are just a couple of issues that they ran into,” Henderson said. “If you recall from a previous change order, we had to shore up the columns on the north side of the building between the windows.”

She said the joists at that location required some sistering, or joining of joists together to shore up the area due to extensive water damage.

Another part of the change order addresses reinforcing a crumbled concrete around the railing near the stairwell at the front of the building.

Painting of the interior side of doors is also part of the change order, Henderson said.

The total cost for the additional work is $2,550.

In a related matter, the council approved two resolutions amending the architechural service agreement for 713 Second St. facade work with ASK Studio, Des Moines. The first amendment calls for an engineer to address the structural deficiencies in the masonry and connecting joists on the north facade between the window piers. The second amendment calls for an engineer’s structural review and a cost opinion to repair the existing roof framing and replace the existing membrane roofing.

The cost for the additional architectual work is $15,254 and funds would come from the Community Development Block Grant revolving loan fund.

Demolition contract

The City Council approved the 2021 building demolition project, which includes three residential properties in the community, 1236 Second St., 806 Stockdale St., and 1135 Bank St.

Two bids were received for the project with Mid Iowa Site Services of Fort Dodge turned in the low bid of $24,000. The other bid was from Doyle Construction of Fort Dodge, $25,950.

Other business

The council moved to reject all bids received for a one year of tree grinding services, and to seek bids for a three-year period at the tree/brush site. Staff members said in a memo to the council that they believed better bids would be received for a three-year agreement.

A contract for tree trimming services to allow for electrical line clearance was awarded to Robb’s Tree and Stump Service of Story City.

The bid — the only one received for the project — came in at $143,000, under the budgeted amount of $250,000 by $107,000. Also included in the contract will be $19,000 for the removal of trees related to the 2021 Second Street reconstruction project, bringing the total cost to $162,000.

At the close of the business meeting, the council voted to go into closed session for the purpose of strategizing in connection with collective bargaining with the police department unit, and also to discuss the purchase or sale of real estate.