SOLON — Assistant City Administrator and Public Works Director Scott Kleppe provided the monthly update on the city’s happenings Wednesday, June 26 during the weekly in-house meal for Solon Senior Dining at the United Methodist Church. The last Wednesday of the month typically features Klepper and/or City Administrator Cami Rasmussen reporting on what the local government had planned for the city and what projects were undergoing completion.
A strong topic for the seniors was regarding community center space. They were advocating for a place where people could meet and gather with other community members. Kleppe said this issue has been a long concern in the community and has received a lot of support, but it is just a matter of space to put the building. Kleppe encouraged the seniors to contact the city council to bring it to their attention. He also said that people should show up to council meetings to voice their concerns. Citizens are encouraged to address the council during the “Citizen’s Speak” portion of the regular monthly meetings, which are held the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 101 N. Iowa Street.
There will be a few road projects this summer beginning with finishing the curb and gutter project on South Iowa Street, specifically the section between Fourth and Fifth Street. Kleppe said this will complete South Iowa street in its entirety. The other area that will see construction will be Main Street between Highway One and Cedar Street. That stretch will receive curb and gutter construction as well as being reshaped and asphalted.
The city is still working on the designs of the new sewer plant. Kleppe said, “We know what kind of process that we are going to do, we just need to fine tune that and figure out what pieces of equipment and what companies we will go with.”
Kleppe anticipates it will take a few years to get the plant completed. He figures they won’t break ground for another three and a half years and it will take two years to complete. So, the city is eyeballing 2030 as the year of completion for the sewer plant. Kleppe said they are building the plant because they will have to meet new regulations related to water quality and discharge from the plant as well as the city’s anticipated expansion over the next ten years. Kleppe said, “We are about at flow capacity, so we need to better ourselves and prepare for the future regulations.”
The city and the public works department had to remove over 50 trees from the nature and recreation area because of the yellow ash borer beetle. Kleppe said they have already started replacing them with a variety of trees. By the end of June, they will have already planted back over 50 trees to make up for their removal.
South Slope will be constructing a building on Highway One on the north side of the car wash. They are intending that building to be the center location where all the cabling from fiber internet in the town will be directed to. Kleppe said, “When South Slope [built the fiber] they didn’t plan for the new building they are having now. As the community keeps expanding, they needed more capacity. They chose that location and now they need to envelope the community into that location.”
Kleppe said the structural engineer has given their recommendation for additional repair work on the front of the Solon Hardware Store on Main Street. The engineer gave the go ahead to complete the repair work, related to some wooden beams. Owner Tom Trump said materials have been ordered and the work should be completed soon, however he could not guarantee the work will be done before Beef Days (July 19 and 20).
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