The final agreement for the County Highway B project was approved by the Manawa Common Council at its Jan. 20 meeting.
All council members voted in favor of Mayor John Smith signing the agreement for the reconstruction of the roadway by the Waupaca County Highway Department.
The council did not approve paying over $9,000 to reimburse the county for purchasing land for a walking trail. The Finance Committee had recommended that this not be paid prior to a discussion with the county highway department.
Alderperson Alice Brown asked if the sidewalk would be on the west or east side of County Highway B.
There is no room for the sidewalk on the west side, according to Frank Jaeger, director of public works. He noted that the sidewalk also needs to be on the same side as the proposed walking trail.
Brown suggested there should be a pedestrian crosswalk in that section of Highway B.
An informational meeting on the highway reconstruction project will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Manawa Municipal Building.
The project is set to be completed this summer.
Police Chief David Walker announced that Kaitlin Kernosky has been named as the Department of Natural Resource agent for the area. He noted that Kernosky will have office hours in Manawa starting in early April.
“We are looking forward to this partnership,” Walker said.
Kernosky is currently assigned to the DNR’s Milwaukee region.
In other business, the council approved a certified survey request by Fliteway Company. Mayor John Smith and a representative from the Finance Committee will meet with Fliteway to discuss utility easements and the lift station on Ash Street.
The council approved an agreement for $700 in professional services with Cedar Corporation to begin the grant process for the Second Street project.
The first step will be a confidential survey to determine if the population meets the income levels to qualify for a federal grant.
To meet the grant requirements, at least 50 percent of the residents on Second Street must be below the county’s medium income level. Also, at least 80 percent of that population must respond to the survey for the project to qualify for the grant.
Smith reported that the Manawa Revitalization Committee is moving forward with sprucing up the downtown area.
“People are talking about Manawa in a positive way,” he said.
According to Smith, the group is considering promotional ideas “to get people into town who don’t usually go to our downtown.”
He noted that Sturm’s recently purchased about $22,000 in chamber bucks to give to their employees.