CITY TAKES NEXT STEP IN WESTWARD VIEW DEVELOPMENT

JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER

‘The city of Freeman took a big next step toward completion of the Westward View housing development at its regular monthly meeting Monday night, Feb. 14 when it accepted a bid for the construction of W. 5th Street, Westward View Circle — both of which will provide access to the 18 available lots — and curb and gutter that goes along with it.

The city voted to award the bid to Journey Group Companies dba Black-Top Paving in the amount of $317,868; that was the lowest of eight submitted bids and came in about $50,000 less than the estimate.

Construction is expected to begin in spring.

The city is developing the 14-acre tract of land located west of the water tower for much-needed housing in partnership with the Freeman Growth Foundation (FGF) and Freeman Community Development Corporation (FCDC). The three entities struck a deal last year in which the FGF granted funds to the FCDC for purchase of the property, which had been farmland owned by Lee Larson, which the city of Freeman in turn agreed to develop.

The first step in that process came last September when the council awarded a bid for site preparation and utility work to Menning Excavation in the amount of $506,441.80. That work began in fall.

Ward change

Also Monday night, the city council held the second reading of an ordinance that would slightly alter the ward map in Freeman. The action was taken to more evenly distribute the city’s population between its three wards.

The change is to two square lots located in the center of town on the block that includes the Freeman Area Veteran’s Memorial and immediately to the east, moving them from Ward 2 to Ward 1. The population distribution is now as follows:

Ward 1 – 437

Ward 2 – 437

Ward 3 – 455