By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Members of the Olean Common Council are looking for ways to reduce the cost of the South Union Street reconstruction project scheduled to get underway this summer.
The council is looking at an apparent low bid of $3.3 million, which is about $425,000 over budget, according to Council President John Crawford, D-Ward 5.
The project includes a roundabout at Green and South Union streets. There was no discussion about cutting the roundabout out of the project.
By deducting parts of the project, the cost can be reduced to the $2.9 million target, officials said. One suggestion was not to mill and pave the street at this time, opting to ask the state Department of Transportation to move up its paving of South Union Street.
“I support holding off on the mill and pave,” Crawford said. “The state DOT owns that.”
City officials had discussions with former Sen. Tim Kennedy, then chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee about moving the paving project up on the DOT list, but Kennedy was elected to Congress without cementing the deal.
There is another $300,000 cost for construction inspection services that is not included in the project, Crawford noted.
Mayor Bill Aiello said Clark Patterson Lee, the contractor who will perform the inspection services, had initially asked for $400,000.
Auditor Lens Martian suggested a revenue anticipation note, or RAN to pay for the inspection services while the city is waiting for state reimbursement.
“We have to move forward,” said Crawford indicating his support for the RAN to pay for the inspection services. “We have to do it.” He said a $3 million project in return for the city spending $300,000 for inspection services was a good deal.
Initially, the city hoped to have an engineer trained in inspection services available for the project, but with the number of projects facing the Public Works Department as well as Water and Sewer departments, it was not possible.
The council will vote on awarding the bid for the South Union Street project and financing for inspection services when it meets next Tuesday.
A big part of the South Union Street project involves installing new water lines, including under the South Union Street Bridge, said Public Works Director Benjamin Slotman.
Aldermen also discussed the Walkable Olean III project along East State Street from North Union Street to East Avenue near the bridge over Olean Creek, which began on Monday with crews putting up signage.
The mini roundabout at East State and Barry streets has generated the same kind of criticism that the city’s other roundabouts have received. The roundabout will be such that semi tractor trailers can transverse them, Aiello emphasized.
This will result in traffic delays — especially during the mill and pave portion of the project and installing the roundabout. The Public Works Department has already encouraged motorists to find alternative routes. SIdewalk closings have already begun and some side streets will also be closed at times.
The long standing issue of who and when will city park restrooms be locked and growing mosquito complaints by residents were also discussed by aldermen.
Alderman Sonja McCall, D-Ward 4, said the council is ready to adopt a local law to compel city officials to lock and unlock park restrooms at regular times.
They will not be open 24 hours seven days a week as some have suggested due to concerns of people using drugs in the restrooms and of homeless sleeping in the bathrooms.
Aiello said the union representing Public Works Department employees said the locking and unlocking of restrooms is a union job and they will grieve giving the job to summer employees.
McCall is looking at having the city park restrooms open from 7 a.m. to dusk from May 1 to Oct. 31.
Alderman Vernon Robinson Jr., D-Ward 6, asked whether automatic timed locks should be considered.
“Tell me what you want and I’ll work with the union,” Aiello said.
Robinson also raised the issue of growing mosquito complaints from residents.
Aiello said money to pay the county for mosquito spraying if necessary is not included in the budget. However, the city’s $16,000 share of the cost of spraying would come out of the contingency budget if needed.
Cattaraugus County traps mosquitoes and inspects them for species that can carry diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile virus. The Health Department also keeps track of numbers of mosquitoes.
Robinson also asked Slotman for an update on the sluice pipe project along the Allegheny River Valley Trail which is designed to alleviate flooding from Two Mile Creek along 18th and 19th streets.
Slotman said material has been received to do the drainage work. Some drainage work is still needed and personnel will need to be assigned to install the sluices. “Once we get the personnel, we’ll move forward,” hge added.
Slotman said Public Works employees have also been working on Field 10 at Forness Park to install the lighting. Weather and other emergency work has hampered progress.
