The Glidden City Council has scheduled the public hearings for two upcoming projects for their meetings scheduled next month. The council approved a resolution earlier this week setting aside time during their Aug. 24 meeting for residents to submit comments on the plans, specifications and form of contract for the proposed $3.6 million wastewater lagoon on the southeastern edge of town. Administrator, Brooke Peterson, says they can move forward with requesting bids now that the public hearing has been scheduled. Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
The council has been planning for the wastewater upgrade for years and had originally hoped for the project to be finished by now. Initially, issues with permitting from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) prevented the city from moving forward. Peterson took over as city administrator midway through the project in October 2019. She says the latest delays were caused by grant applications.
Construction on the lagoon could begin as early as Oct. 5. Peterson says the other public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 10 and is one of the first major steps toward a highly requested amenity. The Lil’ Wildcat Education Center, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) created by members of the community interested in bringing a daycare and before/after school program into the community. Peterson says the city will be acting as a potential pass-through for up to $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
The Glidden Vision Committee Daycare Board is proposing an approximately $1 million facility just north of the football field. The Albert Kruger Sr. Foundation has also expressed interest in financially supporting the project. If funding is secured, the Lil’ Wildcat Education Center will provide daycare services for around 45 kids with an additional 20 participating in before and after school programs.