City Approves School Expansion Site Plan Contingent on Drainage Plan

The Tea City Council met March 6 and discussed the drainage plan for the school district’s expansion project at the high school.

The council spent a lot of time discussing the site plan and drainage issues. The expansion will create more surface runoff and causes some concern on the east property line. Putting in a fire lane on the east side of the school property with a curb and gutter will help capture the runoff and then flow it into the storm sewer pipe. The council approved the site plan contingent on HDR Engineering signing off on the drainage plan. They also approved the foundation plan.

They also approved a cost-share with Woody Houser on a drainage pipe in the west ditch of 468th Avenue. Houser is developing the Atkins property north of the high school. To help the drainage in the area, they will install a concrete pipe in the west ditch to carry water away and keep it from pooling and going over the road. The total cost of the pipe is $66,500. The council approved splitting the cost 50:50.

They approved hiring police officer Taylor White at $31.04 per hour. Police chief Jessica Quigley gave her annual report and broke down the calls they received over the last year.

The council heard from citizen Eric Glaubitz on a parking ticket he received during a snow alert. He had moved his car out of the driveway for his roommates to leave for work while he went back inside to get ready and was ticketed in that time. The council did not overturn it due to keeping their ticketing consistent during snow alerts.

The council approved two pay applications. One was for the law enforcement center from Visions Construction for $131,600. The other was for the regionalization wastewater pump station and force main from Metro Construction for $67,954.28 for work on the pump station.