The Salem City Council moved forward on several major projects Monday night, including Airport Road resurfacing and a new roof on City Hall.
The council agreed to allow $360,000 in motor fuel tax funds to be used to resurface Airport Road from Boone to Mills Cart. Public Works Director Travis Sanders says the street will fall apart without the work. Bids won’t be sought right away as the city is hoping to receive grant funds to pay for the work so the motor fuel tax can be saved for other projects. Sanders says bids will be sought by late summer and the work completed before the end of the year. He notes this will not correct drainage issues as the city is still seeking money for those improvements.
The council approved the lowest responsive bid for the replacement of the city roof. Joiner Sheet Metal and Roofing Company will be paid $172,641 for the work. City Manager Annette Sola says the new roof is the first of a number of improvements planned.
“The roof was first. There is quite a bit of electrical work that we approved earlier this year. That electrical work will hopefully take place sometime in the next couple of months,” Sola said. “One of the next parts will be lifting the air conditioners and putting supports underneath them. There is some more tuckpointing that needs to be done and there are some windows that need to be replaced. There are windows in the back that I believe, once we get to that point, we will board up. We won’t actually replace them. Maybe brick them in, we’re not quite sure yet.”
Sola says the final phase will be improvements to the large glass windows facing Main and Broadway.
The council also agreed to spend $155,602 to replace the West Main Street sewer lift station destroyed in the early April flooding. Insurance will pay all but the $50,000 deductible.
Edward Jones Advisor Shawn Garrett was placed on a list for possible funding under the new TIF-4 to improve a building on Mitchell for his office. City Attorney Matt Wilzbach says the decision is not binding on the city to include his project if plans are finalized.
Cory Parker was appointed to an opening on the Salem Airport Authority Board.
Sergeant Grant Green (center) holds his commission. Chief Todd Boles is to the left, and Deputy Chief Tyler Rose is to the right.
