Buckenmeyer has been working on a plan to improve conditions on the city’s streets, including proposing a $20 annual car tab, an increase in the solid waste utility tax, and redirecting other tax funds. His proposal, if approved by the Council, could allow as much as $1.1 million a year for street maintenance, a five-fold increase over the past few years.
Some City Council members have been reluctant to move ahead with his plans until they see a list of streets for the city to focus on improving.
So, Monday night Buckenmeyer presented a list to the Council. He said, in a general sense, areas in most need of improvements will come first, but warning that the list is only tentative and could change from year to year.
2015 - D Ave. / 37th St. / A Ave. pavement overlay
2016 - West end slurry seal
2017 - Commercial Ave. north of 12th St. pavement overlay
2018 - Northern Pacific annex (between downtown and the airport) slurry seal
2019 - 32nd St & M Ave. pavement overlay
Buckenmeyer called the list “somewhat arbitrary,” adding that he doesn’t want to “have my engineering staff constrained.” He proposed that he come back to the Council every year with a revised list for the following year.
Council members’ reactions were supportive. John Archibald said, “This makes sense.”
Council member Brad Adams urged Buckenmeyer to consider using some of the city’s reserve funds, which he said is a “healthy” $8 million.
Council member Erica Pickett likened the city’s streets to a cavity in a tooth. “If we don’t do this, costs will go way up. Spending a million (dollars) a year is not really enough,” she said.
Council member Eric Johnson sounded an alarm, saying that under this plan the city will be back “about where we are now” in 2023, with a major push needed then.
The matter is expected back at City Council on June 16.