The Calhoun City Board of Aldermen discussed paving streets and fixing potholes at their meeting last night.
Alderwoman Barbara Goodson said a citizen approached her and asked when they were going to fix the streets and said the board needs to make a plan and set a date when it will start.
Barbara Goodson
“Why are we not fixing it? I am embarrassed. We need to work on a plan or have a special called meeting to repair the streets. Bruce has done $150,000 worth of paving and will spend $150,000 more. Do we have money set aside for streets?” said Goodson.
Mayor J.R. Denton said they have $50,000. Goodson asked if the board could go back and amend the budget and use the $50,000 for paving. Denton said that he called Willis Engineering to figure the cost of a length of street that would be roughly the dimensions of a football field and the cost would be $8,500.
“The thing is, we are obligated for some other things. We have to buy a $325,000 fire truck very soon,” he said. “We need $280,000 to pay back on our sewer loan.”
“In three years that firetruck won’t be able to drive down the streets,” Goodson said. “We just may have to pay a higher fire rate.”
Denton said, “These are items I consider infrastructure that will be here for the next 40-50 years.”
“We may have to have a fundraiser for our streets,” Goodson said. “Do you all remember that years ago if you owned property you paid higher taxes to have part of your street paved? Why can’t we do that? I am looking for a solution.”
Alderman Dale Hays said 80% of the citizens on a street must agree to that if it is done. Maintenance engineer Perry Goodson said there is no good solution for potholes. “The mixture we are now getting is not satisfactory. We maintain – that’s all we can do,” he said.
“I’m not opposed to paving streets, but there are other things that we have to do,” Mayor Denton said.
“If we make a start, that will show good faith,” Goodson said.
Nine visitors, led by Tommy Harris, asked about flooding on Cardwell and Calhoun Streets. Harris showed the board how water had covered both sides of his street and said some in the community can’t flush their toilets when it floods.
Denton told him that street improvements were part of a grant that the board applied for but did not get and that a 5-year plan for street improvements is needed. Goodson said the road needs to be built up to the level of the culverts. Harris said the lines had been a problem since 1956. “Please work on helping our community,” Harris said.