Town OKs Skyway sidewalk project
The Paradise Town Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a request from town staff to approve a $ 456,862 contract to All American Construction, Inc. of Live Oak to install new sidewalks in areas of the Skyway where there are none.
The item required no comment from the council or the public.
Town engineer Mark Mattox said that with the approval the project could begin this winter, sometime in December or January.
He also pointed out that the project would not include tearing up any existing sidewalks within the town.
Mattox said there will be no digging in the existing asphalt — it would all be beyond the curb. Three other bids were presented to the town, and all of them exceeded more than $530,000 in cost.
According to town staff the benefits of this project are many, including connecting to the following destinations:
• Downtown corridor community services, restaurants and shop
• Low-to-moderate income housing
• Town Hall
• Building Resiliency Center
• Transit stops
• Local grocery stores
The town council also approved requested budget adjustments for various repairs and improvements for Town Hall, Paradise Police Department and fire Station 81.
The requested budget adjustments included increased budgets for Station 81 from $200,000 to $300,000. That would include bathroom remodels and reconfiguration, dormitory reconfiguration, and front lobby safety improvements,
Mattox also said that the Paradise Police Department would need another $50,000 as it works to re-establish its dispatch center.
He said that at Town Hall, the staff is requesting another $195,000 for work that includes minor lighting and breakroom improvements. The creation of office spaces in what the town calls the “great room”, installing seven windows and safety exits, refreshing the public restrooms and removing and replacing the northerly retaining wall.
Mattox said the money to fund the project will come out of unallocated money in American Rescue Plan Act Funds.
The council expects to get bids on all of the proposed improvements at the November meeting.