Council approves Cabbage Garage rehabilitation; directs pursuit of county help or paid parking

The Fremont City Council on May 14 approved Resolution 2024-127 directing staff to begin rehabilitation of the Cabbage Garage, with an instruction to pursue potential cost-sharing with Dodge County or the creation of paid covered parking to help cover added expenses.

The vote followed a staff update from Justin Zetterman, director of public works, who described two primary repair approaches: a lower-cost sealant option with an estimated shorter service life and a more expensive membrane-style solution intended to last longer. Zetterman said the membrane would be applied on top of the deck rather than installed under pavement and that sealant-type treatments might require more frequent repeat work. He warned that while the structure is serviceable, visual cracks and wear could expand when patched.

Council members debated the trade-offs and the future maintenance plan. Councilman Jensen asked about the two-level parking configuration and suggested the covered portion be considered for paid parking to defray costs. Councilman von Barron said downtown merchants had expressed interest in covered, paid parking and moved to approve the staff recommendation while directing staff to pursue county participation or paid-parking options; Jensen seconded. The motion passed 6-1.

Public commenters urged the council to budget for ongoing winter cleanup and corrosion mitigation, noting that salt and delayed cleanup can accelerate concrete and rebar deterioration. One resident recounted similar corporate-park experience where inadequate winter maintenance led to rapid structural damage and eventual replacement.

Council members also discussed usage patterns: some said the upper deck is underused during the day but valuable for nights and weekends; others emphasized the need to plan for ongoing maintenance to avoid recurring large repairs. Zetterman said consultants did not predict an immediate catastrophic failure but acknowledged that uncovering hidden deterioration is common when repairs begin.

The council did not adopt a dollar amount at the meeting. Council comments referenced comparative lifetime-cost estimates discussed in staff materials and during debate: a sealer approach characterized in remarks as roughly $150,000 over 10 years (about $15,000/year if spread evenly) versus a membrane estimate framed as roughly $240,000 over the same timeframe (about $24,000/year); speakers treated those figures as planning approximations rather than guaranteed contract prices.

The resolution passed; council directed staff to proceed with the rehabilitation work and to continue outreach to the county and explore paid-parking options for the covered level. The council noted any final funding decisions and detailed project scoping will return to the council for approval.