Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - JANUARY 10, 2000 <br /> <br />23 <br /> <br />are higher than the estimate, additional funds would come from the General Fund. If the actual <br />project costs are lower than the estimate then the excess funds go into the General Fund. He <br />noted that some other communities determine the assessment rates after completion of the <br />projects with the assessments being based on actual costs. <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski asked if there were other projects waiting to be started if the City <br />does not move forward with this reconstruction project. Mr. Brown stated that there were other <br />neighborhoods in the southern part of the City that were at a level of deterioration to justifY <br />reconstruction. He indicated that one of these neighborhoods could be slated for reconstruction. <br />Mayor Probst noted that a feasibility study has not been done for any other neighborhood at this <br />time. Mr. Brown concurred and added that it was unlikely that any other project would begin <br />this year. <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski stated that she was tempted to suggest that the City pull this project <br />off the board completely. However, if this was done, this project would be placed at the bottom <br />of the list. <br /> <br />Mayor Probst stated it was obvious that the City was not prepared to proceed with this project as <br />currently proposed. He felt it would not be appropriate to attempt to redesign the project at this <br />time. He was not certain how to proceed at this point, however, modifications clearly needed to <br />be made according to the input received this evening. He suspected that once the project is <br />modified there will still be some disagreements on the part of the residents. He noted that <br />historically, the City has attempted to prioritize the worst streets based on their pavement ratings <br />and reconstruct those streets individually. The problem with this method was that one street had <br />been reconstructed with an assessment cost of$30 per foot and a neighboring street was <br />reconstructed one year later with an assessment cost of$35 per foot. Additionally, there had <br />been issues with the construction equipment being back in the same neighborhood. As a matter <br />of policy, the City Council is now trying to manage the Pavement Management Plan on a <br />neighborhood by neighborhood basis. The streets in the Ingerson neighborhood had been <br />identified collectively as a starting point for the southern portion of the City. <br /> <br />Councilmember Rem stated that given the comments made this evening she was in favor of <br />postponing the project for at least one year. However, she was not in favor of delaying the <br />project indefinitely and moving it to the bottom ofthe list. She understood the reluctance of the <br />neighborhood to move forward with the reconstruction project and felt strongly that it would be <br />helpful if the neighborhood received better notification. She suggested that the project be <br />revisited in the spring time when the concerns about drainage can be looked at closely. She also <br />suggested that the project be broken up over two years, as the Council had previously discussed. <br /> <br />Mayor Probst stated that if the reconstruction work was not ordered at this time, the City will not <br />be able to include the project in this year's construction season. He stated that if the City wished <br />to continue consideration of this neighborhood it must move forward with changes being made to <br />the project. He felt that if the City makes the decision to proceed with the reconstruction of this <br />neighborhood, the process should be slowed down. Ifthe Council was not comfortable with <br />moving forward with this neighborhood, the project should be set aside and another project <br />should be found. He agreed that the residents should be provided with better notification. <br />