NEW ULM — The New Ulm City Council will once again discuss plans for the eventual reopening of city facilities, Tuesday.

The council will consider the exact date certain facilities will reopen and whether to limit users.

The Park and Recreation Commission previously considered reopening the fitness and cardio portions of Vogel Fieldhouse in June, but would likely limit users and have reduced hours of operation.

Parks and playgrounds may also reopen, but with a limit on users and with social distancing in effect.

The New Ulm Library could potentially reopen in June with computer use by appointment. Hours of operation and user numbers would also likely be reduced.

In certain situations the ability to reopen facilities will depend on Gov. Tim Walz’s decision to extend stay at home orders.

The council will also consider extending the peacetime state of emergency until Friday, June 12.

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The council is expected to recommend Brown County award the Highway 13 Improvement contract to the lowest responsible bidder. Brown County has planned a surface rehabilitation project with ADA improvements on Highway 13/Center Street from Broadway to Camelsback Road. The road surface will be milled and overlaid. The ADA improvements consist of pedestrian sidewalk ramps at intersections and a new traffic signal at Payne Street.

Brown County received one bid from M.R. Paving & Excavating, Inc., for $1,374,733.10.

The County and City have a shared funding arrangement and the Brown County Board of Commissioners awarded the contract contingent on New Ulm’s approval.

The project cost split is fifty-fifty. The city would pay one-half of the cost or $687,366.55.

The ADA improvements will provide new sidewalk ramps conforming to current standards and replace a traffic signal system that is more than 40 years old. For these reasons, City staff recommends that the City Council approve the Brown County contract award.

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The council will hold a public hearing on the 2020 surface reconstruction project. The proposed reconstruction project provides for removal and replacement of the existing surface areas at 8th North Street from Garden Street to Franklin Street; 2nd South Street from Front Street to Valley Street; 7th South Street from Washington Street to railroad tracks; 9th South Street from Front Street to Valley Street and Washington Street from 16th to 17th North Street

The engineering report recommended that the benefit of the reconstruction be assessed at $1,620.00 per residential parcel.

The estimate for the 12 blocks of surface reconstruction is $471,284 and is funded by the Street Department. The estimate of assessments is $116,640.

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The council will consider awarding the 2020 airport hangar area pavement rehabilitation project to M.R. Paving & Excavating, Inc., for $805,036.95.

The Airport Commission previously recommended an airfield pavement maintenance project be undertaken. The project consists of reconstruction of the pavement area surrounding the airport’s t-hangars.

City staff received and opened one bid for the project. The bid was $192,946.72 or approximately 20.3% above the engineer’s estimate of $952,015. Originally, 81% of the total cost was to be funded by a combination of federal and state funds with 19% to be funded through the City’s 2020 bond issue. Due to a recent federal appropriation associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the combination of federal and state funds was increased to 84.15%, with the City share reduced to 15.85%.

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A boulevard tree planting contract will be awarded. The project consists of planting 222 trees in New Ulm boulevard areas. The work will consist of planting of trees and guaranteeing the health and vibrancy of the trees for one year from the date of planting.

The council is also expected to amend an ash tree removal contract with Ryan Tree and Aerial Service, Inc. The council previously awarded the contract to remove 225 ash from public rights-of-way. Since then, the bid results for tree planting came in lower than estimated and the city was able to consider the removal of more ash trees with Ryan Tree and Aerial Service, Inc.

The grant contract with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources stipulates that for every ash the city removes, the city will replace that tree with a new one of a different species.

An estimated 335-345 ash trees will be removed through this grant.