Cost of City Wide Street Improvements Discussed at Savanna City Council Meeting

Michael Miller For The Prairie Advocate News

In a remarkably brief meeting, the Savanna City Council heard a report from the Water/Sewer/Refuse/Streets and Alleys Committee which detailed potential costs for the City’s street improvement project.

The meeting was attended by Council members Lois Hunsaker, Jeff Griswold, Bill Grummitt, Peg Haffey, Merle Long and Bill Robinson. Also in attendance were Mayor Larry Stebbins, City Clerk Paul Hartman, City Attorney Phil Jensen, Police Chief Michael Moon, Fire Chief Shawn Picolotti, and Superintendent of Public Works John Lindeman, with Council members Jack Fosdick and Rosalie Hansen absent.

The meeting was highlighted by Robinson’s committee report on the efforts to improve the City streets. He told the Council that Jeff Smith of Willett Hofmann had addressed the committee, saying he had reviewed the costs of various levels of improvements for the Committee. Smith said that a simple seal coat would cost approximately $2,000.00 for each city block, a bituminous overlay would be approximately $20,000.00 per city block and that a complete restructuring would cost the City between $100,000.00 and $200,000.00 per block depending on the work specified. The committee then toured the selected areas with Mr. Smith, who will provide a cost estimate for the work necessary on the specified areas. This work will include mixing and adding rock and seal coat to Apple and Cherry Street (Van to end north and easterly), Bench Street (Gilbert to end easterly), Cooley Avenue (Murray north to end), Carey Lane (Virginia to Hillcrest), Keller (Milwaukee to end north), Van (Vine to Mickelson’s Drive east). Other work will include milling off two inches and adding 2 inches of bit overlay to Longmoor (Chicago to the School lot entrance), Diagonal (5th to 6th Street), Van (Diagonal to Van) and Milwaukee (5th to 6th). Robinson indicated the Mayor said they had forgotten to add Charles Street to the list and Lindeman said that it needed to be pulverized, with a new bituminous surface added to it.

Robinson also said that Lindeman had been contacted regarding the retaining wall located at the corner of Cooley Avenue and Murray Street. This concrete wall is now falling over, and the City is currently looking at property lines prior to taking any further action on the matter.

The Council unanimously approved Warrant #2A, covering bills for Skateboard Park construction ($3500.00) plus the annual fireworks ($5000.00), for a total of $8500.00.

Mayor Stebbins referred to a letter from Leticia Martinez, who wrote the City requesting that a stop sign be installed at the corner of Bowen Street and Pike Street. Ms. Martinez wrote that she feels the traffic in this area travels at dangerously high speeds and is concerned about the safety of herself, her child and other pedestrians and drivers. Moon said he thinks the idea is “not a bad” one. With general consensus in favor of the idea, the Mayor said that an ordinance needed to be made and that he would direct Jensen to compose one for the next meeting.

Mayor Stebbins nominated Bob Haffey to be appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a five year term ending on May 22nd of 2015. This appointment was unanimously approved.

Stebbins then told the Council that the Skateboard Park/Snowmobile Trail Committee would like to remain active, per a request from Fosdick; he said that no reappointments were needed since the same members would be used for the Committee going forward.

Stebbins then noted that the City is currently reviewing the bids for the renovation work at 333 Chicago Avenue, and that no action is being taken at this time. The City received bids from three companies, with each company supply alternate bids reflecting slightly smaller amounts for altered scenarios. Bockelman Skrine Incorporated of Galena, Illinois made a base bid of $396,000.00, Winter Construction, Incorporated of Freeport, Illinois made a base bid of $552,300.00, and Ringland-Johnson, Incorporated made a base bid of $588,900.00 for this work.

Stebbins said that the Water/Sewer/Refuse/Streets and Alleys Committee would be meeting to review the Pinnacle Water Tank agreement.

The Council read by title only the first reading of an ordinance (#1950) authorizing a zoning variation to allow a front yard setback of 30 rather than 40 feet for construction of a detached garage. This request for a variation came from Dave Dickey and Bonnie Burger for property located at 1530 North Fifth Street in Savanna.

The Council also read and passed Resolution #1006 allowing MFT funds in the sum of $123,976.65 to be used for the maintenance of streets and highways.

Lindeman noted in final comments that plans are to begin work on the Fourth Street Wall and water main project in July, possibly either the 12th or 14th of that month. He said plans were to finish this by the end of July 2010.