Committee adds street projects to current list

Nevada Daily Mail

In August, Nevada voters will be given the opportunity to decide on whether or not to extend the city's 1/2-cent transportation sales tax for another five years.

The problem with holding the election in August is that it is a primary election for many candidates for state and local offices, and that may make it more difficult to get the voters' attention, Ben Menden-hall, infrastructure committee chairman, said during Thursday night's meeting.

"We've got to start getting the idea out to the public," Mendenhall said.

Kristie Kimzie, the committee's recording secretary, told the committee that she had already arranged for someone from the committee to talk to the Nevada-Vernon County Area Chamber of Commerce on July 14, as well as the Rotary Club in late July.

"We have rebuilt about 300 blocks of street over the last 10 years and I think we can expect to do another 100 blocks or so of streets in another five years," Mendenhall said.

During Thursday's meeting, the committee also addressed a problem the resurfacing of U.S. Highway 54 this summer has created: an extra $40,000 to spend on street improvements this summer.

The current 1/2-cent transportation sales tax calls for the city to spend at least $400,000 each year on new street construction.

"What we don't use here goes into the street department for other work," Mendenhall said.

This year the committee had based their list of projects on the expectation of higher asphalt prices due to the higher price of oil.

While the price of asphalt is higher than in past years, the resurfacing of U.S. Highway 54 this summer has provided the city with the $40,000 windfall.

Because of the size of the U.S. Highway 54 project, APAC-Missouri, the company doing the work, was able to give Nevada a lower bid for the street construction work than was expected. APAC has an asphalt plant here in town, which lowers the transportation cost.

"The bids came in $40,000 less than expected," Mendenhall said.

"You need to pick at least $41,000 more in street work," Joe Charles, public works director, told the committee.

Charles had provided the committee with a list of possible street projects.

"It would be nice if we could do something on Spring Street between Austin and the High School. Probably a third of the people coming to town are going to the high school, and it would improve their impression of the town," John Haggans said.

"We can do east Walnut between Washington and Lynn for about $14,000," Mendenhall said.

"That would be a good place for the extra money," he said.

The committee agreed. In addition to East Walnut, the committee voted to rebuild three other street sections this summer: the corner of Prewitt and Maple, 500-600 block of North Perkins and the 300 block on North Adams.