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Council looks at adopting roads into city street system Melodie Phelps News Editor Barnes Drive and Rolling Hills Drive may become part of the city street system, but council members said Monday they would like an idea what it will cost to repair the streets, which link Hardwood Drive to the Monticello Post Office, before a decision is made. City Council considered a proposal presented by Patrick Barnes during Monday night’s meeting. Barnes noted the two streets were developed in 1999 to accommodate development and to provide additional access to the post office, as well as the USDA building and a doctor’s office that are also located in the area. While the streets have actually been privately owned for more than five years, Barnes noted they have become heavily traveled by the public. In fact, he said he paid for an independent study recently which indicated that nearly 4,000 cars travel these streets each day. Barnes told council members that use by heavier vehicles like semi-trucks and trailers, concrete trucks and other construction vehicles have caused damage to the streets in several areas. Barnes indicated that it is not financially feasible to continue to privately maintain these streets. Mayor Thurston Frye asked Barnes if he would be willing to pay to fix a couple of damaged areas on the streets—specifically in the curve behind the post office and in the curve at the intersection of Hardwood Drive—to bring them up to a standard to be accepted into the city system. Barnes said he would be willing to cost share the expense of the repairs. Councilman Alan Richard-son asked if the council could look at estimates for these repairs before any further action is taken regarding Barnes Drive and Rolling Hills Drive. Frye said the council could look at those figures next month, when the issue will be back on the agenda. Frye proposed a reorganization of the committee that was appointed in June to look at updating the ordinance that created the Monticello Utility Commission. The original committee included four members, but Frye said Monday that he would like to appoint an additional city council member to serve with the group. Dan Daffron will join Ivan Tuggle on the committee. Frye said that City Attorney Jay Jones and MUC Attorney Phillip Morgan will both serve in an advisory capacity to the committee. The committee will look at portions of the ordinance, which was last amended in 1975, that may need to be updated. In other action, the council: • Hired Greattinger and Crowley to do the annual audits for the City, the Utility Commission and the Telecommunications Board. Because of new standards, the cost of the audit will increase approximately $3,000. • Heard a report from Frye regarding the progress of the downtown project. Frye said part of the property that is included in the initial phase of the project has been purchased, and negotiations continue for the remaining property. Architects are ready to begin the next phase of the project, and Frye said there is funding available to start the next phase before more grant money is secured. Add a comment |
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