The Clearwater City Council Monday gave its approval for Engineer Joe Pelawa from Bolton & Menk to begin investigating easement costs for the new water main project.
Estimated at $1.3 million, the project includes installation of a new water main from Tower #2 near the city’s maintenance building, under the Interstate to connect with points south of I-94.
Pelawa told the council the project will require work to be done on private property, as well state and county-owned land along Co. Rd. 7, plus land east of St. Luke’s property and some farm land on the south side of I-94, as well as along the utility road near Authority Fence & Deck on the north side.
He said he needed city permission to talk with property owners about the project.
“We’re not really negotiating yet,” he said. “Once we talk to the residents and find out they’re supportive, we’d be looking at applying for permits for crossing under the interstate and crossing under Co. Rd. 7.
Pelawa said there isn’t a significant cost for the permits other than an insurance bond.
Depending on how the discussions with property owners and permit applications go, Pelawa said the plans for the project should be completed for next month’s council meeting.
“We’re looking at approval in March with bids to be opened in April,” he said. “It could be pushed back a month depending on permit applications and easements with property owners.”
He said the project could start in May or June and completed by October.
Kwik Trip
The new Kwik Trip store is scheduled to open Thursday (Jan. 18) at 5 a.m. The store is located along Hwy. 24 just south of I-94 at the site of the former Brigitte’s Cafe.
Store leader Mitch Schneider and assistant store leader Garrett Marttinen spoke to the council about the new store during Monday’s meeting.
Schneider said the store is a full travel center, with a huge area for trucks that includes showers.
“It’s a large scale format store, like the store on Hwy. 10.” he said. “We hired 38 people from this area, including a few who came from St. Cloud.”
Marttinen said Kwik Trip is able to be competitive and have quality control because 80% of the products they sell, they make themselves.
The new store is the first business to build in the City of Clearwater from the ground up in years.
“Welcome to Clearwater. We’re very excited for our community,” said Councilman Rollie Lange. “We’ve been skipped over for a long time, so we were excited when we heard you were coming and we’ve been watching the progression. Thank for choosing our community.”
Although the store opens Thursday, a formal ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. along with the opening of another store in Sartell.
