City of Cloquet to reconstruct portion of Selmser Avenue this summer

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The Cloquet City Council unanimously approved a bid to reconstruct Selmser Avenue at their regular meeting Tuesday.

They voted to approve a bid from Hammerlund Construction, Inc., for $742,000, to reconstruct the portion of Selmser from Highway 33 to 10th Street this year.

The project was originally planned for last year, but due to budget concerns was delayed and made part of the 2010 Capital Plan and budget.

The driving force behind it has been the desire to begin reconstructing some of the older residential area between Carlton and Prospect avenues. On Selmser, in particular, there are three locations which for years have been subject to localized flooding during large rainstorms due to inadequately sized storm sewers in the area. All existing sanitary sewer, water and storm sewers will be replaced and upgraded as part of the project, according to Jim Prusak, the city’s director of public works. Funding for the reconstruction will come largely from the city’s permanent improvement fund as well as the sewer and water funds. A portion of these costs will be assessed to individual property owners along the project route, Prusak said.

In other council business, acquiring additional property for the county human services building was approved unanimously. The city has made a deal with Tim and Allan Woodward to purchase several parcels near Avenue B and 11th Street for $42,500. The only parcel left to be acquired is owned by Bones Crandall, who operates J & B Auction Service at 1201 Avenue C. Attorneys for the city filed a petition for condemnation on the property last week, city officials said.

City councilors also moved to adopt an amendment required by state law to move the state primary election to the second Tuesday in August. This year both state and city primary elections will be held Tuesday, Aug. 10.

Tags: city council, news, construction, cloquet,  , road