Melrose Council Pursues $1 Million Grant for Channel Relocation Project

MELROSE — September 21, 2017 — Melrose council advances $1 million grant bid for channel relocation and bridge project. The city council Thursday directed staff to apply for a Local Road Improvement Grant through Stearns County, with a ceiling of $1 million, which officials said would cover the majority of the city's costs for a proposed channel relocation, road realignment, and bridge replacement. Engineering firm WSB will apply on behalf of the city; a state decision is expected by January or February 2018. Engineers warned that a targeted fall 2019 construction window is "super hard" to meet and that every month of delay compounds the risk. The council also approved closing the Melrose Area Relief Fund, transferring fiduciary control to the city with the Women of Today organization as lead distributor of the remaining $14,807 in disaster relief funds, capped at $1,500 per recipient. A portable storage container ordinance was sent back to the Planning Commission after council members raised concerns about rules for commercial and industrial properties.