|
Most street projects rejected BRAINERD CITY COUNCIL Staff Writer Since the new year, Brainerd has been preparing its $4 million worth of 2010 road projects.
When it came time for the Brainerd City Council's approval on Monday, only one section of the projects, the one in north Brainerd, gained approval with several council members citing poor economy and not wanting to add to the financial burden of residents through assessments.
The project approved was the reconstruction of street, curb, gutter and other utilities on North Ninth Street from Kingwood to Fir streets, North Fifth Street from Washington to Fir streets, Kingwood from North Second to Washington streets and North Holly from North Third to North 10th streets.
Though initially defeated, the council later approved by a 5-2 vote the reconstruction of the street, curb and gutter in Tyrol Hills and Northwest Second Street. Voting against were council members Mary Koep and Goedker.
The council also took a second attempt on the resurfacing the frontage road along South Sixth Street, including new curb and gutter south of Spruce Street because of erosion. However, that project failed for a second time.
The other projects all failed to get the needed five votes for passage of a resolution ordering in the improvements and specification and seeking bids.
The other projects that failed were:
• Resurfacing of Southwest Fourth Street.
• Resurfacing Northeast 12th Avenue from L to O streets and Southeast 14th Street from Pine to Oak streets.
• Resurfacing Northwest Second Street from Washington to James streets; Northwest Sixth Street from Charles to Washington Street and Charles Street from Northwest Third to Northwest Eighth streets.
• Reconstruction of Quince and Portland streets from Southeast 12th and Southeast 13th streets.
City Engineer Jeff Hulsether said the streets were identified as the most needing for improvement in the city's five-year capital improvement plan.
"These roads are really a mess," Nesheim said. "It's regrettable we can't go forward with this."
The north Brainerd streets were approved with a 6-1 vote. The cost of that project will be about $2.5 million. Council member Kelly Bevans said he's only voting in favor because of the sewer problems in north Brainerd that should have been fixed decades ago.
Voting against was council President Kevin Goedker.
"I'm not comfortable now adding a burden to city and the taxpayer," Goedker said.
Council member Bob Olson was the only council member to vote for all the projects.
Before the council's votes, the property owners got their chance to give their opinions.
Mike Kennedy, who lives on L Street, wanted his street removed from the list because he believed it should have been maintained by the city, not through an assessment.
Kennedy equated the project to the city being forced to fluoridate its water 30 years ago.
"I still have yet to hear why the street has deteriorated," Kennedy said, "and I personally feel it has to do with street maintenance not being done."
Linda Heavens-Olson, a Quince Street resident, said she's unemployed, on physical disability and is a single mother and questioned why any money was being put on what she called a little-traveled street.
"My daughter when she heard this started crying," Heavens-Olson said. Her young daughter was in attendance at the council meeting and said she didn't want to lose any of her yard. Council member Anne Nelson Fisher told her that there are no plans to widen Quince Street.
Others speaking during the public forum wanted assurances that the project would be done right and that they'd have access to their homes.
One man asked why Southwest Fourth Street was being done before the College Drive project, which City Engineer Jeff Hulsether said staff struggled with before the College Drive project was delayed.
Hulsether also presented several letters and relayed phone calls from people opposed to the project, some because of the timing and some because of the assessments.
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
Note: Comments are not edited and don't represent the views of The Brainerd Dispatch. Please read our posting rules in the terms of service policy. To report a post that may be inappropriate, click the triangle alert icon.
|
|
Top Commented Articles
