The Fennimore City Council held their regular meeting of the Common Council on Wednesday, Sept. 20, after the scheduled Monday, Sept. 18, was rescheduled.
        To “answer the rumors,” as Mayor Ryan Boebel stated, the council accepted the retirement of Public Works Director John Murray. Murray’s last day will be Dec. 31. Murray has been the Director of Public Works for the City of Fennimore since Nov. 2019.

        Mayor Boebel they hope to have his replacement hired and job shadow before Murray’s last day at the end of the year. He also stated they hope to hire someone with previous experience. The position was recently re posted for potential candidates.
        After receiving three bids for the upcoming  storm sewer improvements  at Oakwood Community Park, the council unanimously awarded the bid to G-Pro Excavating LLC of Montfort.  The storm sewer improvements are scheduled to begin next month.
        In his report, Fennimore Police Chief Chris French stated, the squad’s F150 has been delivered to Portage and will be built when all supplies arrive.
        The 2015 squad has been stripped and can be turned over to the city/public works when the
F150 comes back.
        The 2017 squad has been partially stripped and will be used as the training/court/back up squad when the F150 returns. Until then, it will fill in as the 2nd squad. The 2019 squad remains untouched and will become the 2nd squad when the F150 returns.
        French was advised that orders for Explorer squads will open this fall with an anticipated delivery date of late spring 2024, however, the department will not have enough in the Capital Squad budget to purchase and  outfit a squad in 2024 and will have to wait until 2025 to do this. He said there is a possibility that they may be able to order an Explorer for 2024 and store it until funds tare available to build it in 2025.
        A discussion was held about the Lincoln Avenue crosswalks and sidewalks. In his report, Public Works Director John Murray stated that they “were getting bad,” and in need of work.
        Having the county replace/update the sidewalk and crosswalks or the county and city “co-oping” on the project were two possibilities, but Murray recommended it would cheaper to bid the project out.
        The council held off on making a decision and would further discuss it at the October council meeting.
        Alderperson Dave Streif mentioned that it had been five years since Forming Fennimore’s Future, which brought many improvements/updates in the city, and that there would be another one in the near future, most likely either late fall or early spring.
        The council approved the naming of the gravel road in Oakwood that runs from Bronson to Bronson as Jeidy Way .
        Lastly, a discussion on the upcoming 12th Street project was on the agenda, but was postponed until October’s meeting.

        The next meeting of Fennimore City Council is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 16, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers of city hall.