Council agrees on borrowing no more than $6 million for capital improvement projects to be completed over the next two years
By Kellen Olshefski
Editor
The City of Elkhorn Common Council voted in favor of borrowing up to $6 million Monday night as part of a borrowing package to fund capital improvement projects over the next two years.
The council originally took a look at borrowing during its May 27 committee of the whole meeting, at which time they voted in favor of dedicating up to $500,000 to acquire the land needed for the Market Street extension project.
With $5.5 million to $6 million available for borrowing later this summer and $3.6 million already dedicated to the Sunset Park swimming facility, Alderman Hoss Rehberg made a motion to borrow $6 million. Following a suggestion from Alderman Scott McClory, Rehberg amended his motion to borrow up to a total of $6 million. The council voted unanimously in favor.
Dedication to city parks
In discussing how the remaining up to $1.9 million borrowed money would be spent, the council voted in favor of allotting up to $500,000 to go towards improvements to city parks over the next two years.
Mayor Brian Olson said in doing improvement projects in city parks, it’s not only affecting children and families, but area businesses as well, noting a survey of local businesses he did looking at how they were affected during the last baseball tournament.
“Not one person told me they closed early that day, they were packed,” he said.
Alderman Tom Myrin echoed Olson’s remarks, saying in talking to two downtown restaurants he garnered similar comments about how overwhelmed the businesses were.
“All they wanted to know is when is that going to happen again because they wanted to step up, ramp up, because it’s a heck of an opportunity for them,” he said. “It really made a difference.”
With debate at the May 27 committee of the whole meeting over whether improving city roads or parks was a higher priority, Olson noted that improving city roads won’t help to bring visitors to Elkhorn, only get them through.
“I think we’ve proven that fact that people are going to use our facilities who don’t live here and spend their money here,” he said.
“Now we can make a decision to build roads, but they’ll just be really nice roads for everybody to drive out of town to go spend their money.”
Olson said while he doesn’t disagree that the city needs to address its road system, the whole goal of a capital improvement process is to go for the whole of the community.
According to Olson, the $500,000 would include improvements to Sunset Park’s ball fields, the White River State Trail, a potential dog park and other parks related projects.
Rehberg made the motion to dedicate up to $500,000 to parks, directing staff to come up with a detailed list of how the money will be spent. The council voted unanimously in favor.
City streets
With parks, the pool and the Market Street extension project land acquisition already voted on, the council voted unanimously in favor of dedicating the remaining up to $1.4 million to road improvements in the city.
Following the vote, the council began discussions on which roads the council would like to set as priorities to allow the public works department to begin researching projects.
Aldermen agreed while E. Centralia could use the repairs, with limited funds its in the city’s best interest to look into roads that are the most heavily used by Elkhorn residents.
At the top of the list, McClory said he’d like to see both Hazelridge Road and the section of E. Walworth Street between Jackson and Lincoln streets be completely reconstructed.
“For the amount of people they impact…I see those as higher priorities for the whole, entire community,” he said.
According to Olson, with the completion of those two projects, the city would have approximately $650,000 left out of the $1.4 million, which McClory said would allow the city to repair North Sunset Drive.
With options for mills and overlays in front of the council, McClory said if the city’s going to do a road project, it should “do it right, do it once and be done with it.”
“I’m not saying spending $70,000 to put pothole patch, piece-meal and little pieces, you know, putting lipstick on the pig,” he said.
McClory made a motion to take on complete reconstruction projects for the three roads, including a redesign of the intersection of Sunset Drive and Jefferson Street, using any remaining money for one of Monica or Maria streets.
