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West Jeff takes next step toward revamping Main Street
(by Sandi Latimer, staff writer - August 03, 2010)
West Jefferson Village Council has taken a big step toward the much awaited and long-delayed Downtown Revitalization Project.
On Aug. 2, council authorized the mayor to sign legislation to pave the way for the start of the estimated $1.9 million project to revamp Main Street and improve sidewalks.
Randy VanTilburg, a project manager with Fanning-Howey Engineering Group of Dublin, said the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) needed the agreement by Aug. 6. Plans and cost estimates are due by Aug. 24 to be forwarded to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) to put it out to bid by Nov. 1. The schedule calls for bids to be opened Dec. 2.
Concern was raised about getting the paperwork to OPWC on time because Mayor Scott Hockenbery was on vacation and not expected back until after Aug. 6.
“As long as we have the paperwork, we can get started,” VanTilburg said, adding that Hockenbery had indicated he would sign the legislation. Village Law Director Ron Parsons echoed Van Tilburg on the mayor’s intentions.
Public Service Director Harold Walker said if everything can be taken care of quickly, “We can get it to the mayor’s house as soon as he gets back.”
The project includes reconfiguring Main Street to widen parking lanes and cut traffic lanes from four to three which would include a center left-turn lane. ODOT is providing $868,000 for the work. OPWC is providing $500,000 in a grant and $400,300 in a 20-year, no-interest loan. The village is responsible for $137,500 and has already paid $128,000 of that amount.
The legislation council approved on Aug. 2 starts the process for the $400,300 loan.
Originally, the project was scheduled for 2009, but was pushed back to summer of 2010 and now 2011.
“ODOT keeps putting it off,” VanTilburg said, noting the latest schedule calls for starting the work this spring.
Walker also noted that delays are common. “The Taylor-Blair Bridge was supposed to be in three or four years ago,” he said.
Council addressed the bridge issue in July, authorizing the mayor to sign preliminary consent legislation from ODOT for the bridge replacement.
Councilman Ron Garver questioned the urgency of the action for the Downtown Revitalization Project. “You can’t tear up sidewalks and plow snow at the same time,” he said.
“The money from OPWC is available now,” VanTilburg said, noting that work will start in the spring. “It’s going to be an inconvenience any time you do it. People want to be on the sidewalks in the summer.”
The revitalization project is to end at Mill Street, but the storm sewers have to be extended to the Little Darby at the edge of town. Council also approved companion legislation for an engineering survey and storm sewer design changes as required by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
New clerk of council
Council added the position of clerk of council to its salary ordinance, setting the pay at $12.75 per hour for 30 hours per pay period. They then entered into executive session “to discuss the hiring of a new employee and to discuss imminent litigation with the law director.”
After the 57-minutes closed-door session, council voted to hire Emilia Feldman to serve as clerk of council and the village’s Webmaster. Feldman is a June graduate of Ohio University with a degree in psychology. Council President Darlene Steele said four people applied for the job.
Feldman will start immediately. Finance Director Jack Herrell had been handling clerk of council duties.
Other than hiring Feldman, council members mentioned nothing else about discussions from the executive meeting which included Walker and Parsons.
No Child Safety Day
Council cancelled the Child Safety Day planned for Aug. 14 because many of the invited exhibitors were unable to attend.
“A lot said they couldn’t attend and we can’t have a Safety Day if not all the safety people can attend,” said Councilman Cory Coburn who chairs the special events committee.
Several community events are on the schedule for August 14: Arbors of West Jefferson’s Make a Difference Day; the Madison County Road Rally, which ends in West Jefferson; and Hurt-Battelle Memorial Library’s summer reading program pool party.
“It is important for both the children and their parents to be at Safety Day,” Steele said.
The program traditionally brings together parents and children with representatives of law enforcement, the fire department, the sheriff’s office and other agencies to help children learn safety standards.
Steele said rescheduling the event much later would run into the schools’ fall sports activities, the county’s Safety Town program and West Jefferson’s Labor Day weekend Ox Roast.
“Who thought in such a small community we’d have a problem finding a date for a program?” Steele said.
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