Public Works has ‘urgent need for applicants’

During Monday’s Morris City Council meeting, councilmen heard and approved a revised report from Aaron Mears, President of Mears Engineers, LLC, addressing updates to the city’s water system.

The revisions included a reduction in tower size based on new water usage data, a new location for the water tower, the inclusion of land purchase costs in the revised report, and an accuracy check on the city’s water meters, among other measures.

Additionally, the council reviewed reports from various city departments for February. Police Chief Tim Bell noted 13 citations issued, while Fire Chief Tim Stewart reported no incidents in the city but several in the rural area, including one smoke inhalation case, a motor vehicle accident, four grass fires, one vehicle fire, and two EMS assists.

Ethan Christiansen from Morris Public Works highlighted four cemetery operations and discussed the department’s urgent need to fill vacancies. He said that with another senior employee set to retire soon, the demand is only growing.

The council also addressed bids, awarding a cemetery mowing contract through April 2025 and tabling a hay mowing contract bid pending receipt of an appropriate proposal. At the meetings for both the council and public works authority, the board approved minutes from previous meetings and authorized payment of claims.