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Council leaves Military project in limbo |
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Tuesday, 27 October 2009 |
When the Benton City Council meeting concluded Monday night, two significant road projects were left in limbo.
The council had been expected to vote on a resolution accepting a construction bid for an improvement project on Shady Lane and an ordinance amending the 2009 budget to allow a federally funded construction project on Military Road to proceed.
Neither project made much progress.
Some of the aldermen don’t believe the city should proceed with both projects now because of the financial constraints doing so would place on the city. Yet they appeared to have agreed on a compromise schedule in an agenda session that preceded the regular meeting.
During the agenda meeting, the council members indicated that delaying the Shady Lane project for six months would be prudent while proceeding with the right-of-way acquisitions for the widening and improving of lower Military Road. The latter project, for a cost of $18.1 million, has been approved for an 80-20 percent match in federal funds.
Aldermen Doug Stracener and Bill Donnor pointed out that delaying the project could jeopardize the city’s receiving the $14 million funds in federal grants.
Richard Magee, deputy director of Metroplan, informed Lamont Cornwell, the city’s director of community development and economic development, that the region is “required to spend the (federal grant money) in a timely manner.”
Magee, in his letter to Cornwell, also stated that “if enough programmed projects do not progress sufficiently to obligation, then the region has the potential of losing a portion of those funds.”
When the Shady Lane project came up in the regular meeting, the aldermen, in keeping with the decision from the agenda session, voted to table until Nov. 9 a resolution awarding a bid on the $1.2 million project.
But then they did not go along with the decision they were thought to have made in agenda session regarding Military Road.
When the ordinance regarding that project was presented, some of the aldermen’s thoughts had changed, and an initial motion to suspend the rule requiring three readings failed to garner sufficient votes.
The ordinance is not dead, however.
In keeping with the council’s procedure, the ordinance was read once and will be presented again at the next meeting. The council, instead of voting three times on an ordinance, now presents it for three readings and votes only after the third one.
Alderman David Sparks, chairman of the council’s Streets Committee, favored accepting the bid from H&H Construction Inc. for $1,094,542 and then voted against proceeding with the Military Road ordinance.
Also not giving support to the Military Road ordinance Monday night were Aldermen Greg White, Charles Cunningham and Joe Lee Richards.
Alderman Brad Moore abstained, voicing his confusion. Shady Lane is included in Ward 4, which Moore represents.
Moore said he was not clear on the proposal after several possible funding scenarios were discussed.
Aldermen Steve Lee was absent, so his vote automatically counted as “no.”
Local residents Graydon Hardister accused the aldermen of subjugating the needs of residents of Shady Lane, Gattin Road and Arronfield Road in anticipation of industry and growth that may not materialize on Military Road.
Don White, who has announced his candidacy for mayor, also criticized the Military Road project because the city’s 20 percent match will involve taxpayer money.
Also questioning the city’s plans for Military Road was Patricia Ashley.
The ordinance regarding the Military Road project, already initiated through an earlier ordinance, would allocate an additional $2.1 million for the project. This specifically include utilities relocation design fee of $80,550; right-of-way consulting fees, $90,014; and right-of-way acquisitions, $1,924,436.
Either road project requires at least seven affirmative votes from the 10-member council because funding proposals include the use of the city’s sales tax revenue.
In other matters, the council approved a rezoning ordinance for property at 3821 Edison Ave. Lance Hicks, who wants to build a car wash at the site, had requested the zoning change.
The Benton Planning and Zoning Commission previously approved the zoning change by unanimous vote.
The council also approved a resolution expressing the city’s willingness to utilize Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department “safe routes to school” program funds.
Also approved was a budget adjustment to accept a $202,344 grant for use by the Benton Public Schools. Benton Police Department applied for a grant that provides state-of-the-art surveillance equipment in all of the district’s schools. The grant is being matched equally by the Benton School District.
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