Public hearing scheduled for April 28
By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
LAKE ORION — During its meeting on March 24, Lake Orion’s village council directed Oakland County Equalization to prepare a proposed special assessment roll for District 1 of the village’s sidewalk improvement program by using costs contained in the third lowest bid obtained.
The motion was made by Council President Teresa Rutt with support from Council Member Nancy Moshier.
Village administration will use the bid, from JS Development LLC, to calculate the proposed special assessments for each parcel impacted. The bid total was $23,707. Residents will be billed for sidewalk improvements along their properties, or will have to pay for repairs directly.
Village Manager Darwin McClary recommended using this bid instead of opting for the lowest or second lowest bid, totaling $17,607 and $22,645.75, because the village had not yet verified the two bidders’ qualifications at the time of the meeting. Still, McClary said the council will be able use the unit prices and assessments from the lower bidders after a public hearing, and upon knowing the bidders’ qualifications.
If the council decides to proceed with the sidewalk improvement project after the public hearing on the proposed special assessment roll, the district one sidewalk repairs will cost $17,607 – assuming the contract is awarded to the lowest bidder. Costs will be covered through special assessments and contributions from the village’s general fund, according to village documents.
Village council scheduled the proposed special assessment roll public hearing for April 28, at 7:30 p.m. and has until June 18 to award a contract.
Hauxwell Drive resident Gene Peterson voiced displeasure toward the possibility of the dead-end section of Hauxwell Drive getting a sidewalk, saying the street never had sidewalks and it was not designed for them. The street’s portion of the project will be deferred until next year, and was not included in this bid.
“It’s never been a problem. It’s a dead-end street,” Peterson said. “We got beautiful trees on both sides, 100-year-old trees. I don’t know where you’re going to put the sidewalks without destroying the beauty of that street.”
President Pro-Tem Stan Ford said Hauxwell Drive residents have approached him to say they do not want a sidewalk on the same section.
McClary responded saying administration determined additional review and engineering work for each sidewalk segment needs to be considered more carefully before making recommendations to the council to move forward. He added district one sidewalk connections will be handled next year with the district two project.
“So, this process, as far as any new sidewalks (go), will be handled next year, but it will go through the same process,” McClary said. “And at that time, we will have the engineering work completed, we’ll be able to answer much more detailed questions on what would be proposed, (and) what sidewalk segments we would actually be recommending the council moving forward with. We would also have the information on any trees that would need to be removed if we were to move forward with the project. So that will take place next year.”
Ford also asked McClary how opting out would work for citizens. For example, if each resident on a street signed a petition stating they do not want a sidewalk, would the program move on from that street?
McClary said the village council has discretion on whether to proceed with any of the sidewalk segments.
“And this is a conversation we will have before we engage the engineers in doing the engineering work because we don’t want to spend money needlessly,” McClary said.
Council Member Michael Lamb also lives on a street without sidewalks, and has no desire for one. He added, in his opinion, he has no desire to impose a sidewalk on a dead-end street or in similar situations.
“I don’t think this is the sidewalk-imposing program, I think it’s the sidewalk fix-‘em-up program,” Lamb said.
While notices were sent to properties administration identified as needing repairs, McClary said no decisions have been made on adding sidewalks at this point.
“Which is why if you currently do not have sidewalk in front of your home, that’s why you did not receive a notice,” McClary said. “Next year, if the council determines that we’re going to be adding new sidewalk in front of your property, you will receive all of the notices that the affected property owners this year received.”
McClary added the council will discuss areas of interest for potentially extending sidewalks this Fall. Administration also plans to notify owners in the areas of when the discussions will take place so they can provide the council with feedback before making a decision.