A VULNERABLE SECTION of a retaining wall on West Ludington Street in Iron Mountain. The city Monday accepted a proposal to repair the century-old wall. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News file photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — Iron Mountain City Council has authorized a proposal from Bacco Construction Co. to fix a century-old retaining wall on West Ludington Street.

The board accepted Bacco’s $399,155 bid Monday in lieu of a cheaper option that would have restricted traffic in the area of South Pine and Forest streets. Ludington Street splits when approaching from the east and the approved plan will maintain a one-lane width for both the upper and lower road levels.

The specific direction of traffic flow hasn’t been determined, City Manager Jordan Stanchina said.

A precast concrete wall will be placed at the bottom of the existing wall, which extends more than a block. Any wall above the 3-foot, 6-inch height of the new wall will be removed.

Although city officials say the stone wall isn’t in danger of collapsing, it has been frequently patched. Cement blocks have been placed in front of vulnerable sections.

The city has roughly $675,000 available in unspent American Rescue Plan funds that can be used for the project. A sanitary sewer line that runs within the wall will be relocated.

Stanchina anticipates it would cost less than $10,000 if more sewer line needed to be replaced.

Coleman Engineering Co. of Iron Mountain prepared specifications for the bids after the city in April began evaluating the wall for replacement or removal.

FA Industrial Services Inc. of Iron River had the only other bid at $486,183. Based on the bids for a second option, the city might have saved about $200,000 by eliminating the upper- and lower-level roads. The council, however, decided maintaining traffic flow was worth the cost.

In other action Monday, the city council:

— Tabled renewal of a 10-year lease with Mountain View Ice Arena Inc. The action came after Tim Jaska, president of the Dickinson Area Hockey Association, raised questions about the arena’s operations and board structure. “We’ll look into it and see what we can do,” Mayor Dale Alessandrini said. The city leases land for Mountain View Ice Arena to the non-profit organization, which is responsible for use and maintenance. There is a nominal $1 annual fee.

— Authorized buying two used pickup trucks available in Wisconsin as advertised online by Fastenal.

The cost is $17,515 each for a 2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman with 32,786 miles in Greenville and a 2020 Ram 1500 Tradesman with 53,157 miles in Little Chute. The purchases are contingent on the trucks passing inspection by Department of Public Works Supervisor Scott Thomas.

— Approved changes in its administrative policies to comply with Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act, scheduled to take effect Friday. Stanchina noted both the Michigan House and Senate have proposed amendments to ESTA that, if enacted, would significantly revise the law.

— Scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Monday, March 17, on a proposed zoning change that would allow buildings in industrial districts to have five above-ground stories and potentially more with a special use permit. The current limit is 40 feet, unless each required setback is increased by one foot for every foot of height above 40 feet.