Wayland city officials say bids will be let next month for repair and renovations of Church Street, Park Street, West Elm Street and Mill Street within the city limits.

City Engineer Mickey Bittner told City Council members Monday night that hopes are high for awarding bids sometime in February.

A Michigan Community Service Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) Category B program grant of $250,000 was awarded to Wayland this past fall, administered by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

Bittner and City Manager Josh Eggleston said there was an open house on the project recently, but only a handful of citizens showed up.

Regardless, the work will be done in the next year and it is expected to be completed with 16 to 18 weeks. Officials acknowledged there may be inconveniences for local traffic and there likely will be underground work on water mains. Some trees will have to be removed as well.

Bittner said there isn’t likely to be any work on sewer hookups, noting, “Wayland’s sewers are in great shape.”

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the council:

• Was presented the annual auditor’s report, in which Dan Veldhuizen reported the city’s unassigned fund balance is a healthy $1.3 million and its fees are adequate for covering costs. Earning yet again was City Treasurer Cherie Parrish for her performance in helping the city attain a reasonable clean audit.
• Was told by Eggleston that the highest bid for farm use of land near the water tower was $209.50 per acre.
• Learned from City Clerk Lee Ann Clausen that a state grant for an early voting tabulator has been received and the city will continue to have two precincts for doing, at the fire station at at the VFW.