Committee struggles with funding issues

Nevada, Mo. -- Nevada's infrastructure committee is proposing that the city rebuild five streets in 2009 at an estimated cost of $521,118, which is above the $500,000 that is usually budgeted from the city's 1/2-cent transportation sales tax for new street construction.

"We can try to trim a little off, or go for bids and see how they will come out," Joe Charles, public works director, said during Thursday night's infrastructure committee meeting, which included the annual public hearing on the proposed 2009 street projects.

"Let's go for the bids and if we need more money, we'll go to the council and ask for another $100,000," Ben Mendenhall, committee chairman, said.

"The way the price of oil is going down, it may be better than it was in January," Charles said.

The projects include two streets that were originally approved for 2008 but could not be done, and three new projects.

In 2008, the committee had recommended the city rebuild a section of North Tucker, from Ashland to the end -- approximately three blocks -- at an estimated cost of $140,000 and south Spring Street, from the city limits south to the storm drain, at an estimated cost of $98,000.

The three new projects for this year include: extending the work on south Spring an additional 480 feet, at an estimated cost of $53,118; east Locust St., from Osage Boulevard to Washington Street, at an estimated cost of $125,000 and south Lynn Street, from Austin Boulevard to Maple Street, at an estimated cost of $105,000.

"I'm deeply concerned about the northeast part of town," Mendenhall, said.

There have only been a few streets in the east part of town that have been rebuilt with the money from the transportation sales tax and Mendenhall has mentioned this issue several times in recent months. The current sales tax expires in 2011 and he has questioned whether Nevada residents would be willing to renew the tax again, even if the city council decides to put it to another vote.

Charles told him that this year they are rebuilding Locust Street from Osage to Washington, which is in that general part of town.

Mendenhall said that in the last two years of the city's transportation sales tax they need to concentrate on doing some streets in the northeast and southeast parts of town.

"Unless the Council decides to try and renew it," he said.

Charles told the committee that he will concentrate on those parts of town when he starts to put together a list of possible streets for 2010.

"Except for the east side of town, we have things in pretty good shape," Mendenhall said.

"We need to request $600,000 from the Council next year," he said.

Jack Bastow told the committee that he would still like to do some serious street patching on some of the streets that have already been rebuilt.

"But there is no money for that this year," Bastow said.

Charles told the committee that he would like for them start working on next year's projects earlier.

"For 2010 I'd like to start meeting in the fall so we can have our list nailed down by the end of 2009, so it isn't finished so close to the start of construction," he said.