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GoogleThe Le Mars City Council approved an agreement with the Union Pacific railroad for a pedestrian underpass below the railway north of Le Mars.
The planned underpass will go under the existing rail bridge over Willow Creek and include a 100-foot section of the recreation trail sided by screen fence and covered with a canopy.
"The entire thing (100 feet of railroad right of way crossed by the trail) has to be protected from falling objects," City Administrator Scott Langel explained.
Union Pacific made this requirement.
The underpass work also includes installing two 60-inch culverts under a portion of the recreation trail where the trail crosses Goose Creek.
The long-awaited Union Pacific agreement comes with a cost of $2,500 plus a $3,000 engineering review/coordination cost.
The city may also be required to pay a $7,000 flagman fee and additional railroad insurance to cover the contractor during the work.
Councilmen Ken Nelson and John Rexwinkel suggested using city staff to complete the project rather than hire a contractor because it would save the city on insurance costs.
Langel said he would compare costs between hiring a contractor and having city crew complete the project. Having the city complete the work could save around $4,000.
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Is any of this cost covered by the original price and grant that was received?? How many more mistakes is this council going to hand this man?? This has to the biggest SNAFU in a long time in this city. This council needs to check out all the facts and hire someone who can do two things in a row without a mistake.
i think the council and mr. langel are doing a great job! this trail is going to be awesome. bravo zulu!!!
And I am sure amazedagain, that if we were to put your job under a microscope that you would be errorless in your work, especially in the last year or so while you dealt with serious health issues not only personally but within your family as well. Please let us know what it is you do so the community can make comments about your performance as well.
onlywhatiknow, if you think that being paid over one hundred thousand a year and make mistake after mistake is okay that's great. Having a health problem isn't an excuse either. Lots of people operate with health problems and family trials. Anyway add them all up and see maybe you want to give him a raise.
Maybe if Mr. Langel would have done all of this getting approvals/permits years ago when he first thought of the rec trail, this trail would have been done years ago......talk about getting the cart in front of the horse!....typical Mr. Langel way.......Please mayor and council...WISE UP!......