Despite claiming control of $2 million slated for road repairs, the Columbus City Council believes its individual lists will closely resemble an objective list of recommended repairs.
The council voted unanimously Tuesday to split the $2 million into $333,000 for each ward after City Engineer Kevin Stafford, of Neel-Schaffer Inc., presented a preliminary list of suggested road repairs.
The recommendation to split the road money evenly came from Mayor Robert Smith. Calls to Smith were not returned by press time.
The most common explanation offered by council members for claiming responsibility is familiarity.
“We”re in contact with our wards all the time,” said Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box. “We ride the wards and talk to people.”
Other council members echoed Box”s claim that they know best which roads need work in their wards. Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem was the only council member willing to defer to the city”s engineers.
“I would rather have followed Kevin”s recommendations, even though I voted with the rest of the council. There was no reason to offer any debate knowing they had decided to split the money the way they did,” said Karriem. “There might have been one or two roads that were overlooked, but I think the preliminary list was accurate.”
And it could turn out that the councilmen”s individual lists, due two weeks from Tuesday, will match the preliminary list.
“I think (the lists) will stack up very closely,” said Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin.
“I”m going primarily with what (Stafford) gave me,” said Ward 2 Councilman Joseph Mickens. “I”ve got to make some cuts. I was sitting at (an estimated) $395,000. But you won”t see a whole lot of changing from me.”
The council members will still consult Stafford regarding their choices — as they did during the formation of the preliminary list — to determine how to best stretch their allotted money. All but one of the wards on Stafford”s list showed a need for more than $333,000 worth of work.
Councilmen will take into account the daily traffic on streets, how much time has passed since the street received repairs and the nature of those repairs.
“A lot of streets we didn”t mill (last time),” said Ward 4 Councilman Fred Stewart, referring to the method of grinding down streets to make repairs from the bottom up rather than filling cracks and potholes on the surface. “I”m not concerned about the number of streets (to receive work), but the type of work done. I”d rather do 10 streets right so they last long than do 100.”
Despite the fact Neel-Schaffer will remain involved in the road project and the end list may resemble the preliminary list, Stafford says splitting the money evenly between wards opens the possibility for politics to cloud decisions.
Box reiterated Stafford”s input would play a large role in the final road list.
Each councilman has several streets in mind which are desperately in need of work. Ward 1 Councilman Gene Taylor and Mickens both highlighted Bell Avenue, which splits between Ward 1 and Ward 2. Mickens added Summerhaven Drive is the worst in Ward 2.
“It”s got grass growing up in it,” Mickens said of Summerhaven.
Box highlighted Cannon Trace, Constance Lane and Fir Street as the worst of Ward 3.
Stewart was reluctant to single out any streets but acknowledged most traveled roads in Ward 4 — 14th Avenue North and 20th Street North — will receive work.
Karriem said 19th Street North near Sim Scott Park need to be reworked.
Gavin said most of Old Aberdeen Road will receive work to satisfy residents as well as attract new businesses near Leigh Mall.
Approximately $1.6 million will remain for future road work from the city”s $8.9 million bond issue. Approximately $5.2 million was taken from the bond issue to cover existing debts.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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