The Becker City Council Tuesday approved an expenditure of $572,608 for the purchase of a new dehumidification unit for the Becker Community Center, including a portion of the BCC roof and engineering fees.

 

The project is expected to be completed yet this year.

 

BCC Mgr. Jamie Cassidy met with the council and explained the project was originally designed to include only a roof repair.

 

But, the entire building roof is expected to be replaced in five years. So, a patch job for that roof portion, only to see it torn out as part of the larger job down the line, didn’t make financial sense.

 

The project was approved unanimously by the council, including Mayor Lefty Kleis and Councilmembers Rick Hendrickson, Lori Keller and Tracy Bertram. Todd Hanrahan was not present.

 

Bidder for the dehumidification unit installation, from McDowall Companies, was $323,970. They were the only bidder. The unit would cost $184,339. Wenck engineering fees would bring the total cost to $556,409. Cassidy said a portion of the swimming pool floor will also be resurfaced as part of the project.

 

The original project, with just a roof patch job, was to have cost $450,000.

 

The city has $430,500 budgeted for the project; the remainder will come from set-aside funds from the future roof job.

 

City Adminstrator Greg Pruszinske reported the city has secured a $33,000 grant from the US Dept. of Agriculture to perform a bio fuels feasibility study. Cost of the study will be $48,000, so $5,000 has been secured from Wenck engineering, Full Circle Organics and  Vonco II to cover the remaining costs.The project is expected to start in August.

 

In other action Tuesday, the council:

• Approved a solicitors license for Brain Freeze Ice Cream to Stephen Remick;

 

• Approved a temportary liquor license and exempt gambling permit for Mary of the Visitation Church for their summer fundraiser festival;

 

• Approved receipt of $500 from the Becker Lions Club for Freedom Days;

 

• Approved $24,143 extra payment to Hardrives, Inc. of St. Cloud for Hancock Street improvements. Contractors recently ran into the foundation for the old Becker depot while doing their work and it was required to be taken out;

 

• Met for an hour to again review questions and issues from the recent state audit of Pebble Creek operations. The session was concluded and results of the requests will be posted for the public to view.