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Capital Construction puts the finishing touches on the intersection of League and Connally Streets. Staff photo by Todd Kleiboer
Julian: Fee gets results, should be higher
City Manager
The September city manager’s report, given before the regular September session of the city council last week, has updates on Sunset and Connally streets as well as a general overview of the street improvement plan delivered by City Finance Director Lesa Smith.
SUNSET STREET
According to city manager Marc Maxwell, construction on Sunset Street has resumed. In August, the project had been placed “on hold” until the intersection of Connally and League streets began.
“Capital construction has been pouring concrete since the intersection finished at League and Connally,” Maxwell told the council. This occurred on Aug. 16.
Maxwell pointed out to the council that Sunset Street was funded through a community development block grant program.
CONNALLY STREET
The contractor, 5W, has begun setting forms to pour concrete, according to Maxwell.
“They will pour all the street sections between the intersections, while we [Capital Construction] will be doing the actual intersections,” Maxwell told the council.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY
“The new wastewater treatment systems [at 360 Thomas Road] are working very, very well,” Maxwell stated.
Although the city is allowed a maximum rate of total suspended solids daily at 12 mg/L, the plant is showing a quantity more than 20 times lower than that at .53 mg/L.
“We’re seeing fantastic numbers,” Maxwell said.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PLAN
In September 2018, city council adopted the street maintenance fee, a $5 per year fee for every city resident, that is deposited directly into the street improvement fund and can only be used for reconstruction, maintenance and overlay of city streets and roads, according to Smith.
“Because of the street maintenance fee, the city was able to pave an additional 1.5 miles over the regular summer paving program this year,” Smith told the council. “Overall this year, the city was able to pave 3.59 miles.
“Staff considers this program a success in its first year, and it’s only nine months of the program. Next year will be the first full year,” Smith said.
Streets or portions of streets that were paved included Georgia, Peach, Putman, Ashcroft, Towne, Brewer, Carter, Hodge and North Locust.
Jay Julian, a member of the Zoning Board of Adjustments, speaking as a private citizen, addressed the city council about the street maintenance fee during open comments.
“I remember somebody recoiled about raising the street maintenance fee. … We’re raising the water by $3; we’re raising the sewer by $2 [sic]. The water before the raise is just as sparkling and clear. The water pressure is great. After the increase, …it’s just the same. … It doesn’t really feel as if we got anything. On the street maintenance fee, it’s tangible. If you have any outcry at all, you can literally take someone out and say look at what we’ve done with this fee. …I support this fee, and I would support it higher.”