OTTUMWA — There’s no better feeling than paying off a big bill.

That’s why Dianne Haas, Sarah Sels, Mayor Dale Uehling, Finance Director Mike Heffernan and the City Council smiled broadly during this week’s council meeting.

Haas presented Heffernan with a $124,132 check from Bridge View, Inc. The sum was the final payment for the Bridge View Center’s construction costs.

“During [the center’s first year], more than 1,000 events were scheduled and 125,000 people came through the door,” Haas said. “It’s our beginning step in becoming the economic hub of southeast Iowa. The Bridge View Center is the shining star of our area.”

In his March 5 memo to City Administrator Joe Helfenberger, Heffernan said the BVI payment “closes out the construction portion” of the Bridge View project.

Originally, the construction budget was estimated at $20,500,000. Actual costs were $22,323,833, which is $1,823,833 more than the estimate.

Was BVI supposed to pay a certain amount?

Heffernan said when the contracts were let BVI verbally pledged to raise an additional $1,012,000 to cover the estimated net overrun.

“They probably raised close to that amount,” he said.

However, Vision Iowa wouldn’t allow about $600,000 of BVI’s expenses, either due to the time of those expenses or the land being outside the official footprint of the Vision Iowa project, Heffernan said.

Heffernan also said the city is anticipating a surplus of about $700,000 on the 2006 Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment bonds. At the next special council meeting, he will recommend using the $700,000 for street and bridge repairs.

Bridge View marquee

In other action, the council unanimously approved purchasing a marquee sign for Bridge View. The best bid price of $75,400 came from Swallow Fabric Structures doing business as Ottumwa Tent & Awning.

In his staff report, Heffernan said the sign will be a “powerful marketing tool” providing information to the general public, helping insure the success of events and creating advertising revenue for the center.

“A full-color display is the current industry standard for similar venues and will allow the possibility of increased advertising revenue due to its enhanced graphic capability,” Heffernan said.