07-2024 Minutes

Street Committee Meeting

July 16, 2024 - 12:30 p.m.

The meeting was called to order at 12:30 p.m.

Present were Scott Manchester, Assistant Director of Streets; Jim Bodenhamer, Susan Stockton, Paige Evans and Jennifer Baker, Committee members; and Scott Liles, City Clerk.

Also attending were Deborah and Jackie Edmonds, residents of W. 7th Street in Mountain Home.  They previously voiced their concern to Jim about the proposed renaming of their street.  Jim invited them to speak to the rest of the Committee about this issue.   Ms. Edmonds told the Committee she had been offended that nobody came to speak with her, and she had read in the paper the City Council was going to change the name of W. 7th Street to Natural Resources Way at the meeting on July 18.  She told the Committee the Mayor had mentioned it to her husband, Jackie, but he hadn't spoken to her about it.   She told the Committee, this street has been W. 7th Street since approximately February 20, 1948.  She has concerns about the work involved to change an address, the man hours that must be spent, and she understands there are mostly businesses on this street, and it is a tourist district also.  She said there are flyers, business cards these places may have stocked which the address will have to be changed or reprinted.  She continued, credit cards, insurance cards, etc. come in the mail.  She said she spoke with the post office about the process of changing a street name; the man she spoke with said it was pretty easy once it got into the system but couldn't tell her how long it would take to get into the system.  Jennifer asked where it would be named from, Jim said from Main Street (62B) to the police station.  Ms. Edmonds said it would go just past her house, which was Crescent Drive.  She said she spoke to her neighbors, and they had not been notified of this change either.  There was a lengthy discussion along with options between the Committee and the Edmonds', and Jim invited them to attend the Council Meeting on Thursday, July 18th, to voice their concerns, since it is on the agenda for Thursday's meeting. 

The Street Report for June 2024 was reviewed.

Scott reported the steel for the gymnasium at the Community Center has been delivered, concrete is being poured on the gym floor today.  The contractors are digging the pools out at this time.   He said the total amount spent after the $283,144.09 reimbursement from General is at $1,054,212.83.  Jennifer asked if we were done out there; Scott said at this time, we are working on the retention pond in the back.  She asked what all the Street Department did out there.  The building pads were built by the street department, which includes the gymnasium, the Community Center building, the pools; the footings for all buildings and pools; basically, all the dirt work and the parking lots were built, so all workers have somewhere to park vehicles and materials.  He added, there parking lots and a road that goes all the way around, but that will be later.

Both North Church Street and Morris Street have been completed at a cost of $184,811.25 and $151,738.71, respectively. 

The sidewalks, curb and guttering and landscaping has been completed at E. 6th Street.  The Maintenance crew is over there digging out to prepare for new asphalt.  There are a lot of utilities to dig around, so it is taking longer.  The total cost to date at E. 6th Street is $193,804.66.

The cost of the new Fire Department building is $253,054.34.  This total does not include the cost of dirt work and filling in at that location. The amount of $71,869.17 had been previously reimbursed to the Street Department for work 11/2/2020 through 3/30/2023.  Total cost including the past paid amount is $324,923.51.

The brush collection from the storm at the end of May has been completed at a cost of $111,894.72.  Crews picked up 385 loads of brush totaling 2,584 cubic yards.  The total cost that will be reported to FEMA, between street, parks and water/sewer is $140,025.70.  The City will be reimbursed 75% of this cost from FEMA.

Maintenance for the month of June totaled $41,657.40. 

Scott reported the traffic light at 6th and Main St. is up and running.

The Budget looks good with no changes needed.

The Street Department received three new ½ ton trucks this week, and the two new dump trucks that were ordered are scheduled to be received in November.  

Two employees on one crew have left; one returned to Colorado due to a family emergency, the other has gone back to school.  There will be two new employees starting soon, Scott reported. 

Susan mentioned the Computer Operating Expense line item in the Budget was over and it was discussed this was due to the software licenses at the beginning of the year.  That will be adjusted with money transferred from another line item. 

Scott also reported, after discussion with Arnold, the intersection of 1st Street and Leatherwood will be changed to a 4-way stop.   Currently, the intersection is a 2-way stop with signs on 1st Street.  There is through traffic on Leatherwood, and it needs to be made a 4-way with the current amount of traffic at that location.  Susan said that will really help.

Scott Liles reported some changes to the Municipal Code and what was required.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:05 p.m.