Councilors accept bids for 11th Avenue project

A landscaping and beautification project planned for the corner of 11th Avenue and Old Post Road came closer to fruition on this week.

Sidney city councilors voted to accept bids for the construction at a meeting on Tuesday night. The beleaguered project has faced multiple setbacks since it was proposed last year.

After rising costs and a lack of bids, the construction was broken into three pieces – landscaping, a decorative wall and a sign.

In the 2014-’15 budget, $190,000 was budgeted for the project. The bids approved Tuesday night – including engineering costs – total $277,753.

The majority of the discrepancy will be made up with $65,000 in contingency funds set aside for that specific use, leaving the project $23,000 over the budgeted amount.

At recent meetings, councilors expressed concerns about the rising cost.

Joe Arteburn was the only councilor to vote against the bids.

“It just seems like a lot of money we’re spending out there,” he said on Tuesday. “I know it will look nice, but I know it’s a ‘nice to have’ not a ‘need to have.’”

According to the contracts, each of the components are expected to be completed in 90 working days, but some of the construction must be completed before other work can begin.

“If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right,” councilor Roger Gallaway said before the vote.

Also at the meeting:

• An application to subdivide a tract of land along Road 109 was unanimously passed. Pedro Peralta told councilors he wanted to subdivide his property to allow him to build an additional house on the property. Approval of the application was recommended by the City Planning Commission.

• A resolution was passed approving the plans for a street improvement district for the Reganis Subdivision. Earlier this month, a similar resolution failed after a lengthy debate between the property owner, Tim Reganis, and the council.

On Tuesday, Reganis’ lawyer presented a design amended since the last meeting. The original dispute concerned the placement of sidewalks – Mayor Mark Nienhueser wanted a green space between the curb and sidewalks in the development while Reganis preferred the sidewalks against the curb.

The plans approved this week call for a sidewalk abutting the curb on one side of the street and a larger paved trail on the other side – 8 feet, which will connect with city trails. The trail will be set back from the curb on two properties in the development, and next to the curb on the others.

• In his report to the council, City Manager Gary Person said the city swimming pool opened this week. A schedule of the municipal pool’s hours can be found on the city’s website at cityofsidney.org.

• The next Sidney City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9 at 7:15 p.m. at City Hall.