An eleven-minute discussion ensued about the bid received from Riverfront Concrete and Excavation to board the 1st Interstate Inn before the Alliance City Council voted to approve the bid for $17,884.38 in a 3-1 vote.
Council Member Jay Weisgerber kicked off the discussion, asking whether the materials used to board the abandoned motel would be strong enough to keep people from entering the structure. He asked Council Member Brian Mischnick what could happen to the half-inch plywood, and whether people could easily break through it.
“It’s tough to say,” said Mischnick. “It’s maybe a little light, maybe not. If you want in there, you’re going to get in there.”
Weisgerber explained that it was easy for him to break half-inch plywood on his knee.
“It’s not going to take much to break that door down, or the windows,” Weisgerber said.
The bid also mentioned 2X4s, Weisgerber noted, asking what their purpose was for. Mayor John McGhehey said they were the framing to hold the plywood in place and to reinforce it. City Manager Seth Sorensen explained that the half-inch plywood is following the regulations the city has adopted for boarding structures.
Weisgerber asked about the contractor’s history in Alliance. Community Development Director Brent Kusek said that the contractor has completed work in Alliance before and that the city has had no issues with him in the past as far as getting permits. Kusek, when asked by Weisgerber whether half-inch plywood would be sufficient, responded that he only does what the code calls for, noting that half-inch, impact resistant plywood is what is currently listed in the code.
“So when that gets kicked down, are we going to be replacing it?” Weisgerber asked.
Kusek responded that it would likely be on the city to replace in the event of vandalism. Council Member Tearza Mashburn asked whether the 2X4s would be spaced behind the plywood to offer it support and bracing. Kusek said the doors would be framed in like a wall with intermediate 2X4s.
Weisgerber asked if this would need to be rebid next year. Sorensen explained that according to city code, a structure may only be boarded up for one year. McGhehey noted that the tax certificates will mature in March. He said it would be likely that the holder of the certificates would move quickly once those certificates mature to recoup their money.
“I don’t think we’ll look at reboarding it a year from now,” said McGhehey. “We may have another issue a year from now.”
McGhehey said that the city has the capability to file a lien against the property for the cost of boarding the structure. Weisgerber asked where the funds to board the 1st Interstate Inn are coming from. Sorensen said it is recommended to come from ARPA funds or from council contingency. McGhehey said he would like to see the funds come from contingency to preserve the ARPA funds for other community projects.
“We’re running out of time for that,” said Weisgerber, noting the looming deadline for the ARPA funds to be allocated.
The motion was put to a vote of the council, with the exception of Council Member Tacy Liptack, who was not present at the meeting. Weisgerber voted against the motion and the other council members voted in favor of awarding the bid.