09-28-2015 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, September 28, 2015 7:00 o'clock p.m. 13. WATERTOWN ROAD PHASE 2 (continued) Edwards stated looking at MSA fund projections, after all bills are paid for the current project, it is estimated to be $547,000. Edwards stated he is also estimating that the City will have approximately $900,000 when both parts of the MSA funds are combined. Edwards noted the City just received last week the estimated revenue letter from the state and that he is expecting $348,341 will be added in 2016. Edwards stated the City's debt service is fixed and cannot be changed, but if the City completed Phase II of Watertown Road, based on current numbers, there will be approximately $11,800 left in the fund. Edwards stated the biggest projects on the agenda for MSA roads are Watertown Road, Fox Street, and a mill and overlay on Leaf Street. Edwards stated if the City spends down its budget on Watertown this year, it will take until approximately 2020 before the City will be able to improve Fox Street with just MSA funds and then complete Leaf Street the following year. Walsh suggested the City Council consider doing Leaf, Fox and the third of Watertown to get all the bad stuff done. Walsh stated there is no reason to do roads that do not need to be done and that the City is spending money for the sake of spending McMillan stated at some point Watertown Road will need to get done and it is a matter of prioritizing the roads. Cornick asked if the traffic count on Watertown is heavier than Fox. Edwards stated to his recollection it does have a higher traffic count, which is the reason the Council made the decision last year to redo Watertown Road. Edwards stated they took the most traveled portion first and left the worst section for the second phase. Edwards stated to his knowledge the entire length of Watertown has a higher traffic count than Fox. Levang stated that is her recollection and that Phase II, Section I, is really the worst section of the road. Edwards pointed out the section of Watertown that was recently completed. Edwards staters Phase II would basically pick up where the curbing ends that was redone several years ago, go down the hill, around the corner, and then into that bad section. McMillan stated that section is bad and should be done. McMillan stated the Council can certainly look at that section of Fox Street, but one of the frustrating things to the residents would be why that section from Willow to Old Crystal Bay Road was not done. Walsh stated the City is merely picking the worst sections, which is hard to argue with. Printup noted he was in favor of Watertown Road because the Council has been talking about Watertown Road for five or six years. Printup stated if it is reasonable to talk about completing Phase I, Section II, and the MSA portion of Fox, he would be open to hearing that, but that he does not want to delay any road projects. Printup stated in his view it is the City's responsibility to get it done but that they do need to get it done right. Page 22 of 27