Wednesday, July 23, 2008
News
Millage could improve roads
By MICHAEL PETERSON Argus-Press Staff Writer
DURAND - On the Aug. 5 primary, the city of Durand is asking to collect two mills from 2008 to 2018 for street repairs.
“With our street program that we adopted in 1994 we have not been able to continue our projected replacement improvements to the streets because we don't have the money coming in like we did before,” Interim City Manager and Clerk Amy Roddy said. “This allows the city residents to make the decision whether they want to pay to improve the streets.”
The city estimates that it will collect $153,000 in the first year if the proposal is approved.
“I believe the residents of this community want to have streets that are smooth and are safe, but I don't know how willing they are to pay for it. But we can't afford to do the improvements that we need out of our general operation budget,” Roddy said. “It costs approximately $30,000 to reconstruct a one-city-block road.”
Director of Public Works Steve Mince said the city receives funds from the state to maintain the streets, such as snow-plowing or pothole patching, but that's as far as funds go.
Of the 18 miles of roads of Durand, Mince said about 50 percent of the main roads needs structural improvements, while about 75 percent for the local streets, according to Mince.
Mince also said the city is working on a road project on North Saginaw Street where they have received $400,000 in grant funds for construction, but they were turned down for a grant of another $400,000 in state-matching funds needed to finish the project.
Therefore, they are now looking at losing their original grant.
“With this millage we would be able to take some of that money and apply it toward some of the grants,” Mince said. “We are in a perplexing situation because we have all these streets available for federal grant funds, but we don't have the match money to go along with the project.
Roddy said the millage is important, but is ultimately up to the voters.
“These two mills will provide us the opportunity to reinvest in our roadways and we think it is very important,” Roddy said.
- Contact Michael Peterson at 725-5136 extension 223 or mpetersonarguspress@gmail.com.
“With our street program that we adopted in 1994 we have not been able to continue our projected replacement improvements to the streets because we don't have the money coming in like we did before,” Interim City Manager and Clerk Amy Roddy said. “This allows the city residents to make the decision whether they want to pay to improve the streets.”
The city estimates that it will collect $153,000 in the first year if the proposal is approved.
“I believe the residents of this community want to have streets that are smooth and are safe, but I don't know how willing they are to pay for it. But we can't afford to do the improvements that we need out of our general operation budget,” Roddy said. “It costs approximately $30,000 to reconstruct a one-city-block road.”
Director of Public Works Steve Mince said the city receives funds from the state to maintain the streets, such as snow-plowing or pothole patching, but that's as far as funds go.
Of the 18 miles of roads of Durand, Mince said about 50 percent of the main roads needs structural improvements, while about 75 percent for the local streets, according to Mince.
Mince also said the city is working on a road project on North Saginaw Street where they have received $400,000 in grant funds for construction, but they were turned down for a grant of another $400,000 in state-matching funds needed to finish the project.
Therefore, they are now looking at losing their original grant.
“With this millage we would be able to take some of that money and apply it toward some of the grants,” Mince said. “We are in a perplexing situation because we have all these streets available for federal grant funds, but we don't have the match money to go along with the project.
Roddy said the millage is important, but is ultimately up to the voters.
“These two mills will provide us the opportunity to reinvest in our roadways and we think it is very important,” Roddy said.
- Contact Michael Peterson at 725-5136 extension 223 or mpetersonarguspress@gmail.com.