By Gabe Stark
Contributor

The Trenton City Council approved an agreement with CP2 Consulting during its Monday, Oct. 12 meeting to develop a strategic plan intended to guide city priorities over the next three to five years.

The agreement carries a previously reported cost of $33,675. The council had approved the firm’s selection Sept. 28 before considering the formal agreement this month.

City Administrator Matt Harline said work would begin as soon as possible, with completion expected in February. The plan is intended to help guide the city’s upcoming budget.

The firm was selected following a review of 14 applications. The agreement returned to the council with revisions that included hold-harmless language.

Council members, department heads, employees and residents will have opportunities to provide input. Early work is expected to include individual discussions with council members about their priorities and concerns.

The plan will establish specific goals for council approval and incorporate existing projects and capital planning. Follow-up work is included in the agreement to help track implementation.

During discussion, council members questioned whether city employees could perform the planning themselves. Harline said the process requires time and specialized work, while an outside consultant can help the city examine priorities across departments.

Mayor Jackie Soptic emphasized that implementing the plan and managing the budget would remain city responsibilities. The discussion also included concerns about population decline and the need to consider economic development.

The council separately authorized staff to pursue on-call engineering agreements with six firms selected from 12 submissions of qualifications.

The firms are Burns and McDonnell, Bartlett and West, Allstate Consultants, the Howe Company, Olsson and Benton Engineering, according to KTTN.

The proposed agreements would provide access to engineering services over five years and streamline the selection process as projects arise. The action did not commit the city to spending money, and the contracts must return to the council for approval.

Lead service line work was identified as a likely early project. Electric department engineering needs will be handled separately.

In other news

The council also approved moving forward with paid chip-and-seal work on a private road formerly known as Day Street and directed staff to return with a policy addressing similar requests.

The Stevens family requested the work after reporting difficulty finding a private contractor able to complete the small project. Council Member Lindsay Stevens abstained from the vote.

Discussion focused on recovering the city’s costs and avoiding competition with private businesses. Officials discussed charging for labor and materials, along with an additional fee of approximately 5% to cover related expenses.

Council members also requested that future applicants provide evidence they had attempted to obtain the service from a private provider.

In another action, the council authorized further study of electric bicycles and potentially electric scooters after members raised concerns about their operation on busy streets and highways.

Staff proposed bringing an ordinance to the council around February, ahead of spring riding season, although some members favored earlier action. No new restrictions were adopted.

The council also reduced the Convention and Visitors Bureau’s minimum annual meeting requirement from 10 to six.