Shelby adds Technology Parkway to '22 road paving plans in community
A road improvement project is being added to Shelby's list of 2022 upgrades, a decision made just weeks after Councilman Garland Gates suggested additional street resurfacing work be pursued by the city.
Shelby City Council voted unanimously at its last meeting to spend up to about $315,000 for the resurfacing improvements along Technology Parkway.
Resolution number 32-2022 approves the plans and specifications and authorizes the mayor as director of public service to advertise for bids and enter into a contract for the 2022 paving project Phase 2 within the city of Shelby and declaring an emergency.
"This road is about the easiest we're going to get, maybe not the cheapest, obviously," city of Shelby project coordinator Joe Gies said, noting that the work does not involve things such as curb ramps and manhole covers that would add complexities to the undertaking.
"You can get in, get out," he said. "This would be a good project for a company to schedule for late in the year.”
In reviewing city financial data on May 16 and steady tax collections to start the year, Councilman Gates mentioned Shelby's road program.
"This is just one member speaking here, perhaps out of turn, but what we're doing for street resurfacing is minimal at best," he said. "If there's a way that we could do more (paving), possibly through a change order, I suppose this is the time to think about that for the administration."
"Discuss that with the contractor and go from there," said Gates, a former Shelby mayor, in suggesting a way for additional street resurfacing.
"At the rate we're going, most of us, this member particularly, will be long, long into his reward before we get the streets resurfaced in this town," he said.
Gates did not specify which roads should be upgraded, but the administration brought the Technology Parkway proposal forward for consideration at the June 6 council meeting.
Mayor Steve Schag spoke about the significance of the project.
"This has been a can that's been kicked down the road, and it's become a 50-gallon drum," he said. "I think we're in a financial position to really do something about this."
"We want to assure our constituents that we have not forgotten about all of the other roads," Schag said. "All of us drive around town and people say 'This one needs to be resurfaced and that one.' If we could wave a magic wand, we would do that."
The city, he said, is continuing to follow its strategic plan that includes roadwork.
"So we'll be working with all of our council members in that regard," Schag said.
The Daily Globe contacted John Ensman, municipal utilities director/deputy public service director for additional information about the Technology Parkway project. Among some highlights: * The work involves all of Technology Parkway from East Main Street to Wareham Road, about 1 mile
* The projected cost of the work is $313,315 based on the engineer's estimate
* The project is due to go out to bid at 10 a.m. June 24
* the timeline for the work has the project starting as early as Aug. 15 and completed by Oct. 1
The funding source is the city of Shelby capital improvement funds.
"Money was transferred from the general fund to the capital improvement fund to support the project," Ensman said via email.
At the June 6 meeting, Councilman Gates asked city Finance Director Brian Crum to explain the financing involved in paying for the Technology Parkway work, asking him to "walk us through this."
Crum delivered remarks explaining financial line items and the transfer of funds within existing city accounts.
"The thought right now is that our income tax collection has come in a little higher than we expected," Crum said. "There's a bit of a surplus in the general fund" leading to Gates' suggestion for additional street repaving.
"That line item would fund that project if we so chose,"
Crum said.
Councilman Nathan Martin, chairman of City Council's Utilities and Streets Committee, expressed support for the project, too.
"I think it's a matter of this is probably the only real one we can get done this year," Martin said in reference to the city choosing to take on this additional road project.
"And then also it's one that desperately needs done, and it's going to be a heck of a lot more than $315,000 when we actually get around to getting it done," Martin said.
The roadway, he said he was told, is "almost to the base."
Technology Parkway is not considered a neighborhood street.
"It's not one of the most talked-about streets, but if we went to those streets, we wouldn't be able to get to those streets this year anyway because of the different curb ramps and stuff like that," Martin said. "Nobody (contractor) could touch it, and we'd be waiting until 2023 anyway. So I think this is absolutely the right thing to do, and I applaud the administration for bringing it to us in such a timely manner."
Mayor Schag added: "I want to thank Councilman Gates for bringing that issue to our attention."
Joining Gates and Martin in the 5-0 vote were council members Steve Mclaughlin, Derrin Roberts and Charles Roub.
The city announced earlier this year other streets that are to be repaved in 2022 as part of a bid separate from the Technology Parkway project.
Samantha
Drive,
Devonshire Court, Marvin Avenue and West Street are on the list. The bid opening was April 8. In all, the city received three bids. They were $506,321.30, $503,150.70 and $473,830.80. All bids were under the engineer's estimate for the project of $545,225, officials were told.
Late last year, the city also announced that Washington Street would be upgraded in 2022. This was described as a top priority.
Between Main Street and Whitney Avenue, Washington Street is east of City Hall and near the Vault Wine Bar, Calvary Baptist Church and Shelby's Flag Park.