05-23-2011 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Monday, May 23, 2011 7:00 o'clock p.m. (6. OLD CRYSTAL BAYROAD RECONSTRUCTIONPROJECT BID CONSIDERATION, Continued) information on the bid is included in the Council packet. The City Council can either award the project or reject the bid. Franchot noted this is a topic that has been discussed for a number of months. Franchot asked what procedure the Council will be following tonight. Printup indicated he would open it up to Council comments first. Franchot stated he would like to receive public input first. Acting Mayor Printup opened the public hearing at 7:12 p.m. Paul Pesek, Lyman Avenue, noted he has written a couple of letters to the editor regarding this project as .well as a couple of other people. There is no need for this project, it is too expensive, and it accomplishes virtually nothing. It will not solve the problem of the congestion. The roundabouts will slow traffic down and will accomplish nothing on a small road except to make it impossible to cross the street. The cars will not stop and it will be hazardous for pedestrians. Pesek stated in his view this is a silly project and also will cost more than the City anticipated. Pesek noted the project will cost $3.3 million and that the City closed the Park Commission down four years ago because they didn't have $5,000 a year to fix • the parks. Pesek encouraged the City Council to vote against awarding the project. Allan Engleman, 315 Old Crystal Bay Road North, stated there is a problem on the road and that a lot of those issues could be resolved by having police officers sit on the road and give people tickets for obstructing traffic. The motorists tend to sit in the lane while other cars are attempting to come in and go out. A traffic circle or roundabout will cause traffic to block up by Highway 12 in the morning. Engleman stated if Orono has $3 million to spend on roads, they should put ditches and shoulders on other roads. Watertown Road by the Dickey property has no ditch and water runs down the road when it rains. Fox Street also has no ditches in a lot of places. On Leaf Street there is no safety barrier to get off the road. The City is investing all of the taxpayers' money into one project. Engleman stated a number of people bring their kids here for open enrollment that could be charged and that the entire school district should have a greater say in how the money is spent. Acting Mayor Printup closed the public hearing at 7:17 p.m. Franchot noted the City Council has had numerous discussions regarding this project and that he continues to be in favor of it. Franchot stated in his view the issues raised for not doing the project have not been raised by people with children in the school district. There has been some vocal opposition to the project but at the City's open house over half of the people in attendance were in favor of the project. Franchot indicated he has spoken with a number of parents who have children in the school district that would like to see something done with the traffic situation. The City went through a process recently of reviewing the local streets. Watertown Road was the project next in line in the City's CIP. Franchot stated that although everyone has their own opinion about road conditions, he is choosing to go with the recommendations of Staff and the engineers on which roads in the City are worse than others. Watertown Road is not in as bad of shape as it was anticipated it would be Page 3 of 24