New Albany aldermen talk pot holes, spray park, streetlights

New Albany aldermen dealt with the problem of street maintenance and opening the spray park among other items at their March meeting Tuesday.

They also heard an update on progress concerning replacement of all city streetlights with more efficient LEDs.

Streets

Concerning streets, more are needing work all the time, finding someone to work on them is becoming more difficult and costs continue to increase.

Approximately 15 years ago, city officials had a goal of working on about eight miles of street each year, which would rotate through a 10-year period.

However, costs continued to rise and Mayor Tim Kent said today the city is lucky to get a couple of miles or more done in a year.

Ward Four Alderman Will Tucker brought up the issue, noting that the city had a study done about two years ago. That study rated the condition of city streets, their use, importance, the type of maintenance needed and estimated cost.

“We all gave a list (of streets in each district that needed work most),” he said. “None has been done.”

He conceded that both COVID-19 and weather played a role in delays but added, “We allotted the money and it wasn’t used.”

Mayor Kent said that the largest project, Moss Hill Drive, has been approved and overlaying is scheduled for May. The contractor had one earlier date but it would not give the city enough time to patch holes and prepare the streets.

Kent said work can only be done when asphalt plants decide to operate and most paving companies such as APAC are not interested in doing smaller projects such as New Albany’s.

One street problem cited as an emergency today was Sam T. Barkley Drive.

Kent said a large pothole was suddenly created as a result of the cold weather and water and at least five vehicles hit it, flattening or otherwise damaging tires. As soon as they were aware of it, police notified the street department and workers patched the hole with cold mix. Damages will be submitted as insurance claims.

“But that won’t last,” the mayor said. They can keep an eye on it and refill it but that is still only a temporary fix.

Another problem is Highland Avenue, which had needed cuts repaired for several years. The work was done several months ago, but the mayor said it did not prove to be satisfactory. The contractor was not paid but the street now needs to be overlaid so a company must be found to do that.

Another street mentioned was Carter Avenue, designated the main entrance to downtown from I-22.

Mayor Kent said the problem is that the street is concrete under asphalt. “The concrete expands when it gets hot,” he said. Then the sections push against each other and buckle upward.

Kent said the solution is to cut eight-inch sections at each seam and install a material that will expand and contract accordingly. The estimated cost for that alone was $400,000 to $500,000.

Aldermen added a four-mill tax levy three years ago designated specifically for street repair and Kent said the fund is now up to a little more than $1 million. However, that still will only pay for a few major projects.

Aldermen agreed they want the street work done as soon as possible but state law limits expenditure commitments during the last quarter of the last year of a term of office. The city could advertise for and accept bids, but only the new board could contract for the work.

Board attorney Regan Russell said he would need to research the issue more but the city might be able to proceed with work by declaring the repairs an emergency.

More information should be available at the next meeting.

LED Streetlights

Another update aldermen heard was from Rudy Watkins representing the PATH Company concerning the plan to convert all city streetlights to LED fixtures.

Aldermen agreed to the project this past year. The new lights will provide better, more even, illumination, will save money, reduce maintenance and save energy.

Although the project is expected to cost about $1.5 million, it is projected to save the city as much as $1 million over a 20-year period.

Watkins said the annual cost of operating streetlights is $160,667. The operating cost once all LEDs are in use should be $67,235, a savings of $93,452.

About $72,734 of the savings could be applied to the cost of the project leaving a budget surplus of $20,718. By the end of 20 years, the company projects $2,253,229 in savings from what the current cost would be. The budget surplus for the period would total $798,441.

The project will not cost taxpayers any additional dollars since utility revenue will pay for it initially, and it will save a considerable amount of money.

A survey of the city’s approximately 1,500 streetlights was done a couple of months ago and a specific plan for replacements, additions and reductions should be available at the April board meeting.

The lights will all be of the same color temperature, between glaring white blue and yellow, but fixtures may vary according to location and use.

Watkins said once the specific plan is approved, actual replacement should move quickly.

Light, gas and water manager Bill Mattox noted that some streetlights out now probably will not be replaced until the new ones come in because they would more or less be paying for them twice.

Spray Park

A project of community interest brought up at the meeting was the spray park at the sportsplex.

The park never opened this past summer, partly because of the pandemic, but also because there was a need to repair and replace damaged water pumps and related equipment.

Aldermen did budget about $45,000 for the work, which included moving the pumps above ground to prevent water damage and overheating.

Mayor Kent asked the board members what they thought about trying to open the spray park in July. It usually opens Memorial Day weekend but Kent said repairs, if undertaken, would take a couple of months.

He added that after the recent winter storm officials discovered that the water slide sustained damage.

Ward One Alderwoman Amy Livingston said a lot of out-of-town people come to New Albany to use the water park but that local children are there often as well. Mayor Kent agreed it is in the interest of the community to offer the park and but noted there is a health issue in addition to a safety issue.

It was finally agreed that the mayor will have a structural engineer examine the water slide to evaluate it and a group will then put together a plan on feasibility of working on the water park and add some visual aesthetic qualities such as landscaping. The plan is to be presented at the April meeting.

Light, Gas and Water

LG&W manager Mattox got approval for another pay request for KAJACS Construction on the new wastewater treatment plant. The request was for $205,532.50, out of a total project cost of about $15 million. The bulk of the cost is coming from a USDA grant and a loan to be repaid through user fees.

Mattox said the plant should be ready this fall and will allow closing the current plant across the Tallahatchie River from Tallahatchie Trails and the tennis complex.

Mattox also got approval to advertise for purchase of automated metering infrastructure as part of a bond issue covering part of the Fred’s building renovation and a new electric power substation. Remote metering will mean no one will have to physically view each electric meter to read it and will provide more live usage data.

Once the infrastructure is in place and the bugs worked out, Mattox said remote gas and water reading will be added.

Mattox received permission to advertise for a new right-of-way bucket truck for the electric department and signed a resolution that might someday allow the city to provide broadband internet service.

The resolution specifically would allow the city to install fiber optic broadband lines and lease some of the capacity to pay for itself. New Albany does not qualify for federal money to promote internet development because the utility is city-owned rather than a cooperative. Also, state law does not allow a municipality to sell internet service on its own, Mayor Kent added.

The resolution does not commit the city to anything and is seen only as a possible option several years from now.

Police

Police Chief Chris Robertson received approval to hire Sam Wicker Morris as new patrol officer. The new hire was needed because a current officer is off work due to Workman’s Comp, he said. Attorney Russell noted that with any temporary or conditional hire, the position of the original officer must be preserved.

Chief Robertson also brought up an issue involving the ARMS software that his department uses for a variety of records and reports. The department purchased the software for $80,000 in 2013 but now it needs some updates, partly because some national reporting standards and formats have changed.

Robertson said the new software and updates will cost $23,500. He said he thought the price was high but the company said they no longer sell the product and if we had not already owned it the cost would have been much higher. The yearly maintenance and subscription cost after this year will be $16,000.

Robertson said he can afford to pay for the software this year out of drug task force money, but it would be up to the new board of aldermen to consider it for the next year.

Zoning

In planning and zoning, building inspector Eric Thomas reported that Arthur Kennon and asked for and been granted a variance in siding and parking requirements for 603 Carter Avenue.

Municipal Building Funding

Following meeting in executive session, aldermen voted to designate a $1.8-million certificate of deposit the city has for the renovation of the former Fred’s building. The building was purchased with the intent of renovating it and moving the light, gas and water and the police departments into it. A subsequent purchase of the neighboring for WIC building was intended to become a municipal court building that could also serve as a city boardroom.

However, dramatically escalating construction and materials costs during the COVID pandemic have likely more than doubled the original estimated cost of the project – well beyond the original funding. Officials have tried to cut out unnecessary features of the building without sacrificing quality or usability, and bids were expected to be ready for advertisement about the first of March.

The next meeting of the New Albany Board of Aldermen will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, which coincidentally is Election Day for municipal party primaries here and throughout the state.