The Stuart City Council met last night for its December session.

Tom Smull of Associations Inc. began the meeting by requesting that the Stuart Old Hotel project deadline be extended to March 31st of next year.  Smull says architects are working to try and keep the renovations as original as possible and it is taking longer to do that than they anticipated.  The sign at the hotel is currently being restored and Smull estimated it will be installed on December 16th.

The Council unanimously approved the completion deadline extension.

Next, the Council discussed the Rock Island Depot Restoration project and signed a contract with Roy Sargent Building Inc. out of Menlo for their bid of $466,391 on the project.  The Council voted to approve the contract four to one, with Bryan Belden the only Councilman declining to accept.

Because the Council had budgeted for the project to cost $400,000, Belden wants to be sure that the excess $66,000 will somehow stay within the City of Stuart.

The Council did unanimously approve an engagement agreement with Critelli Law to act as the City’s legal advisors for the depot restoration project.

A stop-sign intersection resolution was then approved unanimously by the Council.  Stop signs will be installed at the intersection of Northeast 2nd Street and All Saints Drive.

The Council then approved the sale of Stuart Fire’s 35 year-old fire truck for $2,250.  Korby Fleischer of the Mt. Crescent Ski Area in Honey Creek, IA was the high bidder.

Finally, the Council approved the ninth pay estimate of almost $3,000 to be paid to Priority Excavating for work on the Wambold Project.  Forrest Aldrich did draft a letter for the Council to gauge their interest in pursuing possible liquidated damages against Priority Excavating for being late on its contract.  The discussion was tabled and will be revisited at a later Council meeting.

In public forum, Mayor Dick Cook voiced opinion that the Chamber should consider renovations for the sign on the east entrance of Stuart.  He feels the sign’s look has grown “tacky” and needs to be updated.

Stuart City Council will next meet on Monday, January 13th at 6:30pm in City Hall.