City council approves low bid on Trout Run Trail bridge over Highway 9

The Decorah City Council has awarded a bid for the construction of the Trout Run Trail bridge over Highway 9.

Cramer and Assoc. from Des Moines submitted a bid of $1,794,219.58.  That bid was $244,000 higher than the engineer's estimate of the cost.  Other expenses have left the Trout Run Trail project with a total deficit of $442,000.

However, Trails of Winneshiek members Harlan Satrom and Mike Huinker told the city council they expect other sources of revenue that will lower the overall deficit to $207,000.

The two proposed taking the city's share of hotel/motel tax receipts--around $90,000 a year--to pay off the $207,000 deficit.  No action was taken on the proposal, since it had not been officially posted on the city council's agenda, but city council members indicated their support of the concept, since the city has designated its hotel/motel tax funds to go towards trail maintenance.  City council members noted that using the hotel/motel tax revenues would mean no property taxes would be needed for the trail.