Ellis VEX Robotics, 2018 audit on council agenda

Published 9:13 am Saturday, May 18, 2019

The Austin City Council will be recognizing the Ellis Middle School VEX Robotics Team during its regular meeting on Monday.

Ellis Middle School VEX Robotics Team 9452A, the “Ellis Engineers,” competed against hundreds of teams at the VEX Robotics World Championships in late April in Louisville, Kentucky.

According to a previous story, the “Ellis Engineers” placed 15th in the Spirit Division after the qualifying rounds and ended up the seventh-ranked alliance after getting chosen by a team from Taiwan during the elimination rounds. They advanced through round 16 to the quarterfinals, winning eight out of 11 rounds in the qualifying matches and tying in one match.

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Ellis finished as the top American team left playing in the division, losing to the number two seeded teams from China, who won the division.

The “Ellis Engineers” were coached by Tom Fritz.

The Council will also vote on whether or not to award a bid to Reiner Contracting, Inc. for the Turtle Creek Flood Control Project. The work will consist of earthen levee construction, sheet pile installation, modular block retaining walls, storm sewer piping and related structures, sanitary sewer construction and turf restoration.

Reiner Contracting, Inc. submitted a bid of $4,883,280.67, which would be funded using Local Option Sales Tax and DNR grant dollars. City Engineer Steven Lang recommends awarding the bid to Reiner Contracting, Inc.

Kim Hillberg from CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP, will discuss the 2018 audit report with the council during the work session following the meeting. According to a letter from Administrative Services Director Tom Dankert to the mayor and council, revenues/transfers in ended up at 102.9 percent of the budgeted amount, while expenditures were 92.24 percent of the budget.

Nicole Behne will also discuss Impact Austin and the council will continue talking about its goals during the work session.

The council’s next regular meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, May 20, in the City Council Chambers in the basement of City Hall. The work session will be held in the Council Chambers following the meeting.

For a complete agenda, visit www.ci.austin.mn.us/city-council.