SUMMING IT UP: Grand Forks City Council
By Mona Mattei
Grand Forks can save millions in road repairs by doing some simple maintenance now according to a report received by council last week.
In his road assessment report, Michael Trickey of Strategic Infrastructure Management Inc., explained to council at their meeting on Tuesday night that there are really only 12 kilometres of roads in dire need of restoration or reconstruction. Of the total 70 kilometres (km) of roadways within the city limits, 22 km are in poor condition and 38 are in a fair state and can be left, with some maintenance, for another five to 10 years.
Trickey’s recommendations to start a crack sealing program will save the city millions in the short term. Crack sealing costs about $2.95 a linear metre while reconstruction can run up to $88 per square metre or $900,000 per kilometre.
“What you need to do with the roads, rather than spend a lot on reconstruction, I think that you need to start a crack sealing program – it didn’t look like any of the cracks have been sealed in seven years,” said Trickey. “We think if you crack seal your roads you wouldn’t have to resurface for quite a while.”
The study was the first step in the infrastructure program the city embarked on after receiving approval from the residents for borrowing referendum last year. Trickey was responsible for providing an inspection manual, a database for employees to update and use for planning, and to give a rummary report with recommendations.
“The reconstruction is mostly along 22nd Street by the hospital and 68th along the river. Other than that the base looks really good,” added Trickey.
Linking the roadwork recommendations to the water and sewer repair project is good planning, added chief financial officer Cecile Arnott in one of her last tasks for the city before leaving for Rossland. The best process, said Arnott, would be to initially inspect only the pipes under the roads requiring reconstruction and prioritize the work from there. Additional pipe structure review and work will then be pushed into future years spreading the costs out over time.
“What I’m thrilled to see is that what we’ve been saying all along does work – if you’ve got a good maintenance plan in place and you get on it and start doing it… it will save you in the future,” said Arnott.
Arnott leaves, Shepard steps in
Mayor Brian Taylor presented Cecile Arnott with a certificate of appreciation at the Tuesday, Sept. 4 meeting. Arnott is heading to Rossland as their chief administrative officer. Roxanne Shepherd, deputy finance officer, is stepping up to take over the responsibility for financial administration for the city effective Sept. 17, and was formally appointed at the meeting. (See video)
Other
The final bylaw readings for the new organics waste program for the garbage disposal in the city were passed keeping the project on target for start up in October.
The Boundary animal control contract was re-posted for tender as the previous tender failed to land a contractor.
There was a Kettle River water study meeting on Thursday, Sept. 6 in Greenwood. Chair of the committee is regional director Grace McGregor for more information.
The deer committee will meet on Sept. 18 after their fall deer count starting at 6:30 a.m. The meeting will take place at the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary office.
Requests are starting to come in for the 2013 budget process. The Boundary Country Regional Chamber of Commerce provided requests for continued service contracts with the city to provide support for the environment and the economic development committees. A request for funding from the Slavonic Seniors to assist in replacing their heating and cooling systems was referred to the budget process.
Watch the video from Les Johnson of GFTV!
