City projects stalled as contractors wait for pipe

City council green-lights Bird Rides dockless scooter system with MOU

Work on improvements to Sterling’s wastewater treatment facility and water line replacement project are stalled because of supply problems.

City Manager Kevin Blankenship reported to Sterling City Council Tuesday evening that pipeline work has been suspended both on the water and sewer projects because the contractors are still waiting for pipe to be delivered. The sewer system’s headworks project is about 90 percent finished, but key parts for that have yet to be delivered as well.

Meanwhile, work on Heritage Park at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets in downtown Sterling is ongoing, and they city hopes to have it finished by the end of July. Blankenship said the city is aiming for a grand opening celebration in conjunction with the final July Jamz concert July 29.

The council brought back and passed a resolution for a memorandum of understanding with Bird Rides, Inc., to provide a stand-up electric scooter sharing system within the city. Bird Rides formally proposed the system at the May 24 meeting and the council was prepared to formalize the MOU at the June 14 meeting. However, Councilman Luke Janes moved that it be tabled until the South Platte Valley Regional Transportation Authority, of which he is a member, could be brought up to speed on the Bird proposal. Janes said the SPVRTA board had been discussing a dockless scooter system and he wants that board to be familiar with the Bird proposal before going forward.

A docklesss system means the scooters do not have a fixed home location and are dropped off and picked up from certain locations

in the service area.

The council watched a presentation during its May 24 meeting in which Sean Mcgrath explained how the Bird system works. The scooters basically provide the “last mile” of transportation and their use usually is coordinated with other mass transit within the city.

In other business Tuesday the council:

Approved the renewal of liquor licenses for Henry’s Pub & Club, LLC, and The Grill at River City;

Approved on second reading after a public hearing an ordinance authorizing $18 million as an additional appropriation and adding $903,872 revenue to the city’s coffers;

Voted to decline the city’s participation in the state’s Family Medical Leave Insurance Program;

Approved a salary adjustment for the city manager, raising his annual pay to $134,111.

Public Works Director George Goode also announced that mosquito fogging will take place overnight Thursday throughout Sterling.