Melrose Select Board Advances Railroad West Easements, Parks Bids in Busy Session

MELROSE — April 20, 2023 — Melrose Select Board approves Railroad West easements and awards infrastructure bids totaling over $400,000. The board unanimously authorized purchase agreements and easements for Railroad Avenue West right-of-way acquisition the same evening Granite City signed its own purchase agreement, then approved two SEH supplemental engineering agreements for the corridor. The sealcoat contract went to Ally Blacktop at $70,560, well under budget, and the street improvement project was awarded to Monitor Excavating with a May 15 target start. The board also awarded a $299,665 Sauk River Park restroom bid to Saint Rose Lumber and authorized ordering Lions Club-funded playground equipment backed by a $50,000 donation pledge spread over five years. City Administrator Scott Palomo reported the city was awarded a Minnesota Department of Transportation active transportation grant — one of three going to small cities out of 81 statewide applicants — covering all construction costs on a $360,000 Fifth Street Northeast sidewalk. The board asked staff to return with food truck licensing options from similarly sized communities after expressing concern that the current transient merchant fee of $250 plus $50 per day is too burdensome for mobile vendors.