By Kellen Olshefski
Correspondent
The City of Elkhorn Municipal Services and Utilities Committee opted in favor of recommending the City Council vote in favor of approving a $650,000 funding level for 2017 street maintenance projects at its meeting May 8.
Previously, City Finance Director James Heilman had been directed to return to the committee after pulling together information on the differences between two levels of funding and their effect on taxpayers: $450,000 and $650,000. In the long run, Heilman said, the savings between the two levels of funding would be very minimal for taxpayers (about $3) in going with the $450,000 level of funding, so he felt the $650,000 funding level is a better option.
“I think everyone agrees there’s $650,000 worth of projects we want to do here,” he said.
Heilman did recommend the city remove McKenzie Lane from the list of projects because it help the total amounts of the projects to come in under $650,000, but also might be a better fit to tie in with a proposed Centralia Street project.
The list of projects as it stands now would include a wedge, mill and overlay on both Court Street and Proctor Lane, a pulverize and relay on Hazel Ridge Road, a reconstruct of Spencer Lane, a mill and overlay on one section of West Lawn Street and a reconstruct on the other.
City Administrator Sam Tapson said the timing of these projects might vary over the next two years. He said the point of making a decision on these projects was to borrow the funds this year.
“If we get them all done now, that’s great,” he said, noting Hazel Ridge Road as an example, which might have to wait until 2018 when the City has worked out an agreement with the Town of Sugar Creek.
Another factor that could alter the list of proposed streets projects, according to Public Works Manager Neal Kolb, is the state of utilities beneath the road. He said if staff were directed to, they could further investigate those things before projects are set in place.
Alderman Tom Myrin asked if a mill and overlay would be sufficient for both Proctor Lane and Court Street, to which City Engineer Jason Feucht said in the roads’ current states, it would be, providing the utilities beneath are in good shape.
As an added bonus, with Proctor Lane, Feucht said the water main is in the city’s right-of-way, or not beneath the road and any utility repairs needed would not affect the street project.
As the committee has only made a recommendation on funding a certain level of street projects, not the specific streets on Monday, the list of proposed projects can be altered and adapted.
A motion to approve the $650,000 funding level was made by Alderman Bruce Lechner, seconded by Alderman Cathy Bensaid. The motion was passed by the committee unanimously.
LAS Water Ski Team
In other business, the Municipal Services and Utilities Committee voted in favor of allowing the LAS Water Ski Show Team to continue using Elkhorn Lake in Babe Mann Park for six Saturday shows during the summer and Thursday night practices.
The topic was brought before the committee after City staff determined permitting the club’s use of the lake under a special event permit might not be appropriate, as special events typically last one or two days.
The club’s proposed dates for the use of the lake also included Saturday practices, though that was met with some opposition from committee members and staff who said they feared weekly use of the lake on Saturdays might interfere with other events scheduled, as well as general use as its a city park.
Jeff Auberger, a board member from the LAS Water Ski Show Team, said Monday night the club looks forward to continuing a positive working relationship with both the city and the community.
“Our goal is to be of value to the community,” Auberger said.
The committee opted in favor of recommending the Council approve the club’s use of the lake for Thursday practices and six Saturday shows this summer, further discussing the possibility of Saturday practices and how the city might best accommodate the club in a way that’s beneficial to the club, the park and community members.
For more information on Monday’s lengthy discussion about the ski team, see the May 18 issue of the Elkhorn Independent.
