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Concerns aired over College Drive project
Staff Writer Brainerd school officials aired their concerns to Brainerd city officials Tuesday over the proposed $7.3 million College Drive street reconstruction project.
The Brainerd School Board Facilities Committee met with the Brainerd Safety and Public Works Committee Tuesday at city hall, joined by several school and city staff members and representatives from WSB and Associates, the engineering firm in charge of the project that's expected to begin next summer.
Steve Lund, school director of business services, asked about special assessments the district would incur as a result of the project, which will affect Brainerd High School and BHS South campuses. Kate Minor, WSB senior project manager, said information will be available in a couple weeks once those appraisals are complete. The council set a public hearing for Nov. 16 to discuss special assessments.
Jeff Hulsether, city engineer, said about $870,000 of the project cannot be funded through federal or state aid funds and must be funded locally through general obligation bonds. Of that, 20 percent, or about $170,000, needs to be assessed. He said the district's assessments, if assessments are $17 per foot, would be about $41,000.
Board member Lew Hudson said that the school board gave conceptual approval to the project but has been waiting to hear more detailed information to fully approve the project.
"We're asking questions we really have not had answers to yet and that was one of them," said Hudson. "Whether we're a friendly or unfriendly partner in this, we need some precise answers now."
A proposed stormwater retention pond near the soccer field across from BHS South Campus drew criticism from school board members and staff. Earl Wolleat, school district director of buildings and grounds, said that pond couldn't handle a large rainfall without flooding. He said the district has safety concerns with such a large pond located near schoolchildren. He said this pond is designed to hold stormwater from a 25-city block area.
The school board previously discussed the placement of a fence around or partially around the pond, but Tom Fitzpatrick, attorney for both the city and school district, said sometimes that can make a situation worse. A student could get stuck inside the pond and not be able to get out because of the fence, said Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick said the majority of stormwater ponds in the city are not fenced.
Hulsether said there would be safety design features in the pond - the water would gradually get deeper so if someone fell in the water it would be knee deep.
Wolleat said a lot of retention ponds in the city are self-draining, but this pond is proposed to have a pipe that drains into Boom Lake, which would take some of the water directly to the lake. He said this is a safety concern, because it is so close to the schools, since someone could become trapped in the grate because of the fast-moving water. Board members asked who would be liable for the pond.
"All of your concerns we have addressed, we just need to show you," explained Minor.
Board members also shared their concerns about the 10-foot-wide region trail planned along BHS and easements needed for this trail. They also discussed concerns about the construction timeline and if the road would be closed when school was in session next fall. Minor said the roadway will be open to traffic during the entire length of the project but construction will continue during the start of the school year.
Hudson asked, since construction was being done on the road anyway, if another access road could be constructed behind BHS South Campus, too. Hudson said an access road could save the district money on insurance for the building. Minor said a 24-foot roadway could be constructed there. Hudson said if it's not financially feasible, the district wouldn't do it.
The group agreed that a stoplight was imperative at Fifth and Quince streets and Minor said it is planned as part of the project.
School officials also brought up a problem they have with the recent South Eighth Street reconstruction project. Wolleat complained that the city's decision to replace an 8-10 feet deep area of blacktop with sod on the west side of Washington Educational Services Building is a problem for the district. He said that side of the building has no sidewalk, yet people park and walk along that side of the building. School maintenance crews plow that area and the sod likely will be destroyed this winter.
"People cannot get safely from their car to the building without twisting their ankle," Wolleat said of the new sod. "You guys didn't listen to me. It's not workable."
"If that's what you wanted, we should have just widened the road and had angled parking," Hulsether told him.
Mark Ostgarden, city planner, asked if the district could put a three-feet ribbon of concrete around the curb to solve the problem.
"That would be good. Do you want to do that for us?" Wolleat asked.
"I think it looks nice," Hulsether said of the new sod.
"It looks beautiful, Jeff, but it's not workable," responded Wolleat.
Council member Bob Olson said this was the first time his committee had heard about this and that he'd get back to the district with some answers.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
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