Waste Connections discussions continue; City okays road ‘test strip’
Clarendon’s efforts to revitalize downtown may take a giant leap forward following information presented at the City Council meeting last Thursday, January 16.
The work on the 100 block of Kearney Street was completed just over a year ago with improvements in the 200 block expected to begin this year under a new grant followed in about two years by a third round in the 300 block.
However, after opening bids for work on the 200 block of Kearney, the low bid of AAJ Concrete came in at $300,000, which is $200,000 less than the funds available for the project.
City Administrator Brian Barboza said $500,000 was available for the project. Most of that money is grant funds with the city adding a match of $98,000.
Officials with the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission and OJD Engineers told the city council it had two choices – give back $200,000 in grant funds, would score negatively on the city’s next grant application or put additional city funds with the excess grant funds and try to do the 300 block of Kearney at the same time as the 200 block. Barboza said the city would possibly need to put another $150,000 into the project to overmatch and finish the work, but he said the city has the money in its investments.
Aldermen agreed that the city should seize the opportunity to finish downtown revitalization on Kearney Street in this upcoming work. The council voted to accept AAJ Concrete’s bid, and the will solicit another bid for work in the 300 block.
The council also agreed to pursue a Texas Department of Transportation grant that could potentially pay for other sidewalk improve-ments downtown, specifically in front of City Hall and neighboring county-owned buildings on the east side of Sully Street.
In other city business, representatives of Waste Con-nections were present to discuss trash collections in the city. The parties agreed that service is improving but communications can still be improved to help resolve trash pick-up issues. City officials and Waste Connections discussed steps to better quantify missed pick-ups and target efforts to address those issues.
Waste Connections District Controller Joe Landon told the council that contrary to comments made last month, his company does not want to end its relationship with Clarendon.
“We want to continue this relationship,” Landon said. “If you want to go to RFP (requests for proposals) early, we’re fine with that. We just want to be invited to the process.”
The council voted to not take legal action against Waste Connections at this time as they continue to work together. Landon agreed problems in the past have been the fault of the company, but Alderman Eulaine McIntosh noted that it is the council that gets the “brash from the citizens” when pick-ups are missed.
The council approved an easement request for American Electric Power for a new transmission line that will go from Clarendon to Jericho.
Desert Mountain Corporation representative Pamela Tuttle made a presentation about a proposal to rehabilitate Front Street from Jefferson to McClelland. The $14,400 project would use new materials to mix with millings and stabilize the road and control dust while making the road resistant to water.
The council approved the project as a “test strip” with the possibility of using the method on other dirt roads in towns if it is successful.
A request for $1,000 from the Donley County Senior Citizens Center for its meal program was approved.
The council also appointed Mayor Jacob Fangman to a vacant seat on the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation Board.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.