Road damage has been the focus of many conversations across Lincoln County, and the City of Lennox is no exception. The spring thaw has accelerated the failure of several streets in Lennox.
During Monday night’s meeting Lennox City council decided to move forward with the spring street repairs. Areas that will be repaired include portions of Boynton Avenue, Rummel Street, First Avenue, Lincoln Street, 5th Avenue and Academy Street. The map that outlines the areas of repair is available online at www.lennoxnews.com.
The City Engineer performed an evaluation of these areas along with City Public Works staff. According to City Engineer Mitch Mergen, the areas have experienced significant distress, and must be replaced. Full removal of the pavement and underlayment subgrade to approximately 16 to 20 inches is recommended. The asphalt will be replaced with six inches of asphalt.
The areas needing replacement measure roughly 7225 square feet of repairs, at a cost of approximately $50/square yard. The total cost of all repairs is estimated at $361,250.
Lennox City Administrator Nathan Vander Plaats explained the funding options to the Council on Monday, stating that he and Finance Officer Denise Hanson recommend using a 50/50 formula split between cash and short-term loans. The City Administrator has initiated discussions with city staff and associated departments to secure up to $200,000 in available cash through budget reductions in public safety and other general fund accounts. Hanson has reached out to local lenders for terms on a short-term loan.
Council discussed the budget cuts, specifically the reduction to the Fire Department by approximately 40%, Council ultimately approved a motion authorizing the City Engineer to secure bids to repair street damage and other improvements.
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