It’s a new era for the Superior City Council but pretty much the status quo is expected to continue.

After being postponed for a week because of a lack of a quorum, the council met Monday night and reorganized. The meeting opened with the old council in place to finish up any pending business. Items of old business included approving December claims, approving the minutes from the Nov. 28 council meeting and accepting the November treasurer’s report.

Then it was time for the old governing body to adjourn sine die. But before that motion was adopted, Steve Fox asked to address the council. He joined the council when appointed to fill a vacancy and served 10 years. After the appointment, he ran and was twice elected to the council for a total of 10 years. Fox declined to run for a third term. Fox said he had enjoyed his years on the council and had learned much.

He was accompanied to the council meeting by a former exchange student from Chili who stayed in the Fox home while attending high school in the United States. Since then, the former student has returned several times to visit the Fox family and Mr. and Mrs. Fox have twice gone to Chili to visit him.

Fox was thanked for his service and then left the room after the motion to adjourn passed. Before leaving he left various notebooks filled with city information for his successor, Levi Gunn.

After the adjournment of the old council, Mayor Chris Peterson called the second meeting to order and Jan Diehl swore in the recently elected members, Levi Gunn, Carrie Lemke, Rick Disney and Mayor Peterson. It was the first time for Gunn. The others were reelected in November.

The first order of business was the selection of a council president. Lemke was the unanimous choice of the other four present council members. The council president serves as acting mayor in the absence of the mayor and is automatically advanced to the office of mayor should the office become vacant.

Mayor Peterson’s reappointments of Jan Diehl as city clerk, Stuart Alsup, deputy clerk, Hillary Grijalva, city treasurer, John Hodge, municipal attorney and prosecutor, Dr. Tim Blecha, city physician, Jill Allgood, police chief, and Andrew Brittenham, utility manager, were unanimously approved. The mayor, council president, police chief and city physician will serve as the health board.

The city will contract with David Ziska of Olsson Associates to serve both as the street superintendent and city engineer.

Zeth Payton was commended for successfully ending his probation period as a new gas department employee. With the start of the new year he will be permitted to go on after hours calls by himself.

The resignation of Michael Combs from the wastewater treatment plant crew was accepted. Though he had only been employed by the city for 15 months, it was noted he had been a good employee.

Robert Cox was selected to fill a street department vacancy.

The possible purchase of a new digger-derrick truck to replace a 1994 model used by the electric department was delayed. Bids received were substantially more than expected and if accepted delivery was not expected to be made until 2024 or perhaps 2025. Andrew Brittenham and Craig Cox of South Central Public Power will look at other models and attempt to negotiate a better price. Both utility are looking to purchase similar trucks.

Two special designated liquor license requests were recommended to the state regulators for approval. Elk Creek Country Club and the Superior Bowl have requested the licenses for events planned at the Superior Auditorium.

Planned repairs to Fourth Street between Bloom and Dakota were discussed. The street has long had drainage problems and the current pavement is not holding up to the increased truck traffic created by the Casey’s store. The city’s engineering consultants are preparing plans to extend the storm sewer, do some grading and replace the existing concrete surfacing with 10 inches of concrete. Councilman Levi Gunn suggested it would help motorists if the street was stripped as part of the improvement project.

The council agreed to enlist the assistance of the South Central Economic Development District in applying for community development block grants. The first category priority is for assistance is with a possible child care center. If funding is not available for childcare, then they will look for a possible park enhancement grant.

Considerable discussion and disagreement centered around the replacement of the city’s current street sweeper.

When the issue came to a vote, it was a 3-2 vote to enter into a lease-purchase agreement with Rose Equipment.

Currently the city operates a Johnston MX-460 mechanical street sweeper that was purchased in 2006 from Rose Equipment. It is a straight broom sweeper with two curb brushes and an in-line main boom.

Suppliers were invited to demonstrate possible replacements.

One of those tested was a Tymco. It is a regenerative sweeper combining a down blast of air to loosen dirt before vacuuming the material up. Of the three models tested, it got the street the cleanest.

Also tested was a 2021 Elgin Pelican street sweeper. It is a three-wheel mechanical sweeper with rear steer. It was the most highly maneuverable of the units tested. It was also the quietest.

The street department and the council’s finance committee selected the 2023 Global M3 mechanical sweeper as the best suited for Superior. It is basically the same sweeper as currently operated by the city with several of the gremlins worked over since the current model was built 15 years ago. A new feature is the addition of front and rear water applicators to better control the dust produced by the sweeper.

Although all three models would meet the city’s need, the Global unit supplier is the only vendor offering a rent-to-own plan and during the term of that plan would perform twice annual service on the unit.

Councilmembers Gunn and Sandra Foote disagreed with the recommendations and favored the purchase of Tymco sweeper. However, Tymco did not offer local service or a rent-to-own plan. Should service be needed, it would have to be sent to Texas.

When the issue came to a vote, it was a 3-2 split vote with council members Lemke, Disney and Flores voting for the Global unit and Gunn and Foote voting against.

As the motion carried the city will be acquiring the Global unit from Rose Equipment.