ISHPEMING — The Ishpeming City Council will consider moving forward on two infrastructure projects during a virtual meeting at 7 p.m. today.

The council will consider bids for the installation of fixed radio-read system infrastructure, the procurement of 250 radio-read water meters; and the handheld radio unit necessary to read the meters.

The city’s goal is to equip all water customers with radio-read meters, which would allow the city to read meters electronically, as well as determine flow, officials said in a previous Journal article.

The three bids for the project range from about $156,000 to $232,000. It will be funded with the remainder of $10.8 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development financing for a project that replaced a substantial portion of the city’s aging water infrastructure including water mains.

Proposed sewer improvements will also be on the agenda tonight.

A GEI Consulting proposal for services not-to-exceed $15,000 for the preparation of a funding package and application to USDA Rural Development to obtain funding for sanitary system improvements will be considered at tonight’s meeting.

A capital improvements plan recently determined that the sewer system would require about $10 million in construction costs, including improvements or reconstruction to the Park Street lift station, and complete sanitary sewer replacements in other areas of the city, an April 22 letter from GEI to Ishpeming City Manager Craig Cugini states.

According to the letter, the proposed improvements would reduce the number of sanitary sewer overflows and backups, which have occurred in recent years.

“Unusually wet weather and high groundwater conditions have exacerbated conditions attributed to those areas where improvements were identified,” the letter states, “and we understand that the city would like to proceed with work now, in at least some of those areas.”

Now is the opportune time to submit the funding application due to “very favorable” interest rates, the letter states.

The meeting will be available to view on Charter Communications Channel 189. Public participation will be accommodated via video/phone conferencing or written comments.

Public comment will be limited to five minutes and speakers are required to state their name and address.

Written comments of less than 500 words must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. Wednesday. They can be emailed to City Clerk Cathy Smith at cathysmith@ishpemingcity.org.

Individuals wishing to participate via video conference can follow this link nmu.zoom.us/j/96057977574?pwd=QUUrL2xGK3NOUTI4RW03RStFTThzQT09.

The meeting ID 96057977574 and password 524770 are required to participate.

Residents can also participate by phone by calling 1-312-626-6799 and entering the meeting ID 96057977574 and password 524770 when prompted.

Attendees will be notified prior to the public comment and agenda comment periods of the meeting, according to the meeting notice.

The meeting packet and agenda are available on the city of Ishpeming website.