City commission moves forward with work on water building

The Madison City Commission has approved a proposal for professional services for renovation of the city’s water building.  During their meeting Monday, commissioners narrowly voted in favor of authorizing the mayor to sign a letter of proposal for professional services for Pro Engineering, Incorporated of Sioux Falls for the renovation of the building.

City Utilities Director Brad Lawrence explained to commissioners that the building for which the work is being proposed is located behind, or to the west of, the former Cars for Les building on South Highland Avenue that the city earlier purchased.  He said the change in how the city’s Utilities Department is comprised has changed the scope of the work that needs to be done on the buildings. 

Finance & Revenue Commissioner Bob Thill had questioned Lawrence as to why the renovation work needed to be done. 

Mayor Marshall Dennert questioned the timing of the renovation of the city’s water building. 

Lawrence said that the Rural Development project in the city will be a three-year project, and it will be harder to do the renovation once the city is in the middle of that so that’s why he is proposing getting the work done now.  

Utilities Commissioner Jeremiah Corbin said it shouldn’t be an issue to do the renovation project at this time. 

Corbin and Commissioners Mike Waldner and Kelly Johnson voted in favor of the proposal for the professional services work to be done for the renovation of the city’s water building, while Mayor Dennert and Commissioner Thill voted against it.