Medford to change fireworks to July 3

City was unable to hire company to do a show on the 4th of July

Faced with the choice of moving the city of Medford Independence Day fireworks display to July 3 or not having them at all this year, members of the Medford City Council on Monday approved switching companies and moving the show to July 3.

According to city clerk Virginia Brost, the city’s three-year contract with Pyrotechnic Display ended in 2019. She told aldermen at Monday’s committee of the whole meeting that she followed her normal schedule and on January 16 sent out request for proposals to six fireworks companies.

On January 27, Pyrotechnic Display, notified the city that it would be unable to provide a fireworks display for July 4, 2020, 2021, and 2022 because they were phasing out of the business. In addition, Melrose Pyrotechnic also notified the city that it would not be able to provide a fireworks display on July 4, 2020. Brost took no action until the February 13 deadline for submissions. The city did not receive any proposals. Brost said she then contacted each of the companies and went out onto the clerk’s network to ask for other recommendations in order to try and find a fireworks company.

In all the cases, either the companies did not respond or would not be able to do a July 4 show.

Spielbauer Fireworks Company responded they would be able to provide a fireworks display on July 3. One of the issues raised was the amount spent. The city spends $10,000 a year on the show and it was noted that several companies are focusing on the $20,000 and higher shows.

“It would have been nice if they had notified us,” said mayor Mike Wellner of Pyrotechnic Display not telling the city the contract was up and that they were not interested in renewing it.

Historically, Medford has held fireworks on the evening of the 4th of July and the change to July 3 will impact event organizers with Freedom Fest who already have their bands and entertainment booked for those evenings.

Brost said she had held off contacting the groups involved with organizing the festival until finding out from the city council how they wanted to proceed. Under city ordinance only the city government can contract for fireworks displays in the community.

“Can we throw the net wider?” asked aldermen Greg Knight.

“I threw the net as far as I could throw it,” Brost said.

“It is the best we can do of the worst situation,” Wellner said of the need to move the fireworks to July 3, noting that at least it is on a Friday night this year still giving the entire weekend of festivities.

Alderman recommended hiring Spielbauer Fireworks Company for the 2020 show. On Tuesday, the city contacted the company and committed to moving the fireworks show to July 3 and going with the company. According to Wellner, the concern was that if they waited until next week for formal approval by the city council, the company would no longer be available.

Police vehicle

Alderman approved moving forward with purchasing an unmarked police department truck from Medford Motors despite objections from alderman Clem Johnson that other dealers in towns should have had the opportunity to submit quotes for it.

According to incoming police chief Chad Liske, the department is looking to replace squad No. 49, a 2012 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup. The department solicited quotes for a 2020 Ford F-150 Police Responder truck from Medford Motors, Ewald Automotive, Kayser Automotive and Koennecke Auto along with any discounts and trade-in for the vehicle.

Of the dealers contacted, Medford Motors had the lowest final price of $23,259 compared with $25,279 for Ewald and $26,400 for Kayser. Koennecke did not submit a quote.

The truck will be used by the police department’s detective.

Johnson asked why the department only asked for prices from Ford dealers rather than asking other dealers in the community. He said that when they are spending public money they should be at least asking for prices from the other dealers. He said if given the specifications, he expected the other dealers would have been able to match them.

Police Chief Bryan Carey, who retires at the end of March, said they have gone with Ford models over recent years because Ford has “upped the game for supplying law enforcement.”

Unlike other car brands which offer the same models for both civilian and law enforcement use, Carey said Ford has purpose-built lines that are designed to handle the needs of law enforcement such as heavier suspension and breaking and upgraded wiring to handle additional electronic needs. This particular vehicle is pursuit rated, which civilian models are not.

Aldermen voted to recommend the purchase of the new truck from Medford Motors. Final approval will take place at next week’s city council meeting.

Technology support

The city of Medford will work with a Merrill-based business to provide information technology support to city departments.

In the past the city received support from the Taylor County Information Technology department on a time and materials basis. Fales said with increasing workloads at the county, the city work was being pushed back and they felt it was time to look outside for a contractor.

Fales said they interviewed the owner of AdvanIT and had received positive recommendations from work he had done with the Merrill School District. Fales noted that a big issue going forward will be ensuring the city had strong cyber security Fales said the county has done a good job for the city in the past, but it was a question of workload and being able to address concerns in a timely manner. “They did a great job for us,” Fales said, noting the county has a full plate.

Alderman Mike Bub, who chairs the county board’s information technology committee, agreed and noted the county had been looking at ways to lighten that workload. “You won’t always be the second one in line,” Bub said.

Under terms of the contract, AdvanIT will be paid $120 per hour for services other than software development, and $175 per hour for software development with at least 48 hours notice. The rate will increase by 150% if it is less than 48 hours notice travel time will be billed at 50 % rate. Services provided remotely will be billed on 15-minute increments with all other services billed in 30-minute increments with a one-hour minimum.

In other business aldermen,

_ Recommended hiring Staab Construction Corporation, of Marshfield, in the amount of $1,837,000 to do upgrades at wastewater solids at the city’s treatment plant and to hire Huotari Construction in the amount of $652,000 for the industrial yard cake storage facility for the treatment plant. The total between the two bids is just under $2.5 million. The city had received a grant of $1 million for the projects. The costs came in slightly higher than the $2.37 million estimated by the project engineers at Donahue and Associates.

_ Recommended hiring Francis Melvin for the reconstruction of Perkins Street at a cost of $617,211. This is below the $652,000 estimated for the project by engineers. Aldermen also recommended hiring Switlick and Sons for watermain bursting on South Whelen Ave. at a cost of $241,804, engineers estimated the watermain bursting project at about $266,000. There were six bidders on the construction project and four for the watermain project.

_ Recommending hiring Jensen & Son Asphalt for $6,626.72 to do the street striping. They were the low bidders edging out Lakes Asphalt Maintenance with a bid of $6,652. While the two lowest bids were very close, there was a signifiant difference with the two higher bids with Crowley Construction having a bid of $18,785 and Farner bidding $29,500 for the work. Holmes asked why there was such a difference between the bids. Fales noted that the city benefits from having two companies in the community. “If you give me $29,000 I will paint them myself,” Fales joked.

_ Recommended hiring American Asphalt for $45,144 to repave Wisconsin Ave. from Hwy 64 to Spruce St. The company was the only bidder for the work.

_ Recommended hiring Elk River Appriasial to do a city-wide revaluation in 2021 at a cost of $22,000. Under state law, the city’s assessed property values must be within 10% of the equalized “fair market” value. The city was at 88% this year and must bring it in compliance. It was noted that the last city-wide revaluation was done in 2004 with a commercial-only revaluation in 2016. The revaluation would be completed in time for the board of review to be done in Oct. 2021.