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City OKs firm's bid to build bridge

Joseph Malan
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The board of works voted Monday to award a contract to a Michigan City firm to build a bridge in Karwick Nature Park.

The board accepted Tonn & Blank Construction's $268,933 bid to build the wooden pedestrian bridge that will span Trail Creek.

City Planner John Pugh said the cost is split between the city and Indiana Department of Natural Resources Coastal Zone Management program.

Mayor Chuck Oberlie noted the company plans to use 14 workers for the project, including four minorities and two women.

The board will hold a special meeting at 8 a.m. June 29 to discuss funding for the project.

The 40-acre park, which is still in development in the 1100 block of South Karwick Road, contains several walking trails. The bridge will connect two city-owned parcels of land within the park.

The site was used as a city dump from 1960 to 1970.

Also Monday, the board:

• Approved a motion to allow City Controller John Schaefer to look into the city's cost of annexing 47 acres of land on County Road 600 West. Attorney Michael Bergerson, representing Oehmstead Properties LLC, the property owners, said he doesn't expect there to be any additional cost to the city.

The property already has access to city sewer, he said, and police wouldn't have to cover an additional area.

"I just don't know what other costs there might be," Bergerson said.

• Announced it is putting up for sale a single axle 10-foot dump truck. Bids on the vehicle will be allowed until 9 a.m. June 15.