Published: June 26, 2009 09:46 am      

Marina restaurant announcement delayed

Announcement was to be made July 1

CLINTON — Clinton is still playing the waiting game on finding a restaurant owner for the new marina amenities building located on the Mississippi River.

The City Services Committee agreed in April to allow the request for proposals deadline to be extended until June 1, with the announcement of the owner slated for July 1.

Those deadlines have been pushed back again.

On Thursday, the committee listed the topic on its agenda but opted to move the measure to a different committee, which is not scheduled to meet before July 1.

The search for a restaurateur began in September when the city hired a consultant group, GEC Consultants, for $30,000. GEC presented two proposals from interested candidates, including Candlelight Inn Inc., of Sterling, Ill. and Rastrelli’s in Clinton. But no decision has been made on an owner up to this point.

At-large Councilman Ron Mallicoat said the city has to find out how much it can tax the dining part of the restaurant before a decision can be made. He said the rate that would be charged now is causing potential owners to shy away.

In other action, the panel advanced a proposal to the Committee of the Whole that would eliminate residents’ ability to ask the city to redo their street, at a cost to individual property owners along the street.

The measure has been debated several times before but council members have failed to reach an agreement. The street assessment policy would have the city assess each property’s value, and then residents would pay for the reconstructed road based on that evaluation.

“We should come to a decision on this,” Mallicoat said.

The panel also looked at the cost of repairing the bulkhead wall at Municipal Dock. City Attorney Paul Walter said the project would cost the city $1.6 million

“It was apparent to me there were issues with it,” Walter said.

No action was taken by the committee.