Oconto Falls residents concur on curb cost share
Kent TempusOCR editor
Property owners along Ridge Road and a section of Indianwood Drive in Oconto Falls would pay a fifth of the cost of new curbs and gutters when the roadway is replaced this year, under a proposal accepted by the City Council on Feb. 10.
The 20 percent cost share will be considered for final approval next month.
The council in December approved moving ahead with curbs and gutters after residents petitioned to the city to replace the street, which is in poor condition.
Although the road work will be paid by the city, the estimated $144,000 cost of curb and gutter work will be shared by the 28 adjacent property owners. A hearing was held before the Feb. 10 council meeting to get input from residents on the project and on what percentage they should pay as a special assessment.
A handful of the homeowners at first were opposed to the installation of curbs and gutters, peppering council members with numerous questions during the hour-long hearing.
"Why would you want curb and gutter in there?" Ron Barlament told the council "You have so much money to spend that you want to throw money away on curb and gutter in our area? It doesn't make sense, there's just no justification for it. Let alone having us pay? I don't need help spending my money from anyone."
Council members said they already agreed that a street with curbs and gutters would not be replaced without also replacing the curb and gutter.
Barlament said the current asphalt curbs were sufficient, and that he doesn't have a drainage problem. However, a few other property owners said they've witnessed poor drainage flow, and at least one property regularly suffers.
"I wouldn't recommend repaving the road without putting in curb and gutter," street superintendent Terry Magnin said. "With the asphalt in there right now, you'd be wasting your money."
Magnin noted that asphalt isn't as strong as concrete and is only supposed to last 20 to 22 years. The current curb has been there for at least twice that long.
"The work has to be done," said councilman Jay Kostreva. "The road is bad. You people did it right — you came out here and petitioned, and said you wanted the road done, but we want the job done right. This will help the drainage, will help redirect water to storm sewers."
Barlament told the council he was particularly concerned by the initial report on the assessments with figures showing residents would be paying half the cost.
"Fifty percent is just a little unjust," he said.
Mayor Brad Rice took a survey of the 13 households present at the hearing, and almost all said they felt 20 percent was fair. That would result in residents picking up from about $500 to nearly $3,000.
The final cost won't be determined until after a bid is accepted by the council, which will be sought if the council approves the revised cost sharing report next month.
Leland Rymer said getting the project done is the important part.
"I think everybody around here's got to admit it's a bad road," Rymer said. "And we want it to be fixed, because we've been living there longer than anyone else. The good news is it will be done this year."