$3.3 Million Centerville Street Project Moves Ahead
City Council vote Is Unanimous
CENTERVILLE - Since the city's 2009 Street Improvement Project was first drawn up last fall, the colored areas on the map showing its scope have gradually shrunk in size.
On Tuesday, June 10, another five streets were struck off the plans, bringing the cost of the project down to $3.3 million from a starting figure of $7.8 million.
But on Wednesday, June 11, the members of Centerville City Council voted unanimously to go ahead and commission plans and specifi cations for the newly downsized proposal, which will see 16 of Centerville's streets undergo an array of improvements.
"[Previous councils] were putting band aids on top of band aids; we remember the problems," said Council Member Tom Lee, explaining why he would even have supported a $4.5 million project.
"I don't like the idea of it costing $4.5 million, but it's going to cost $8 million in five years."
Under two resolutions passed by the council, the improvements which will be made under the $3.3 million project range from full street reconstruction and the installation of water main and sewer lines, to sections of roadway simply requiring edge mill and overlay with curb spot repairs.
City council members agreed to remove Mill Road from the project at their June 10 work session, conceding that its inclusion had been driven by the desire to construct a trail along it.
After starting out from vastly diff ering perspectives at the work session, with Council Members Jeff Paar and Tom Lee stating they would prefer to see a $4.5 million project move ahead, and Mayor Mary Capra saying she could not support a project costing more than $2 million in total, the council found itself able to compromise on the $3.3 million proposal.
Council Member Linda Broussard Vickers, who had previously implied she would not be in favor of any project which included the construction of municipal water lines, said she was willing to compromise on the point so the council could reach consensus.
And the city has indicated it will look hard at Section 51.08 of the Centerville City Code, which requires all citizens to hook up to municipal water by 2012 or within a year of being given access to water mains.
Responding to public criticism that the council should not be contemplating a large-scale project at a time when the economy was uncertain, Broussard Vickers pointed out, "Part of doing a big project is because it's big; the people are here, the equipment is here and the raw materials are here.
"That's why you do a big project . It feels worse not doing it than imagining the costs that you are going to come to [by not doing it now]."
City Engineer Mark Statz of Bonestroo will now draw up plans and specifi cations based on the streets identified by the council, to allow the project to be put out to bid. According to the current project schedule, bids for the project are expected to be received in September, based on finalized plans drawn up by the engineer this summer.
Residents will find out the exact amount of their assessments, based on the bids received, at an assessment hearing in October. Should the council decide to proceed with the project, a contract would likely be awarded in November. Construction will then take place next spring through fall.