Projects on docket for Council

Published 7:44 pm Tuesday, February 6, 2018

A variety of ordinances from the Regional Planning Commission and Water Resources Department projects highlight a relatively cut-and-dried installment for this month’s City Council meeting.

City leaders will meet Thursday, Feb. 8, at 6 p.m. inside City Hall and look to pass a handful of first readings for projects currently in the planning phases across the city.

Renovations at the Village Branch of Carter County Bank will receive some attention during the meeting with officials looking at the possibility of approving a closure of a right-of-way on Kendrick Street and rezoning property behind 800 East Broad Street to accommodate expansion.

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During January’s Regional Planning Commission meeting, it noted the intended plan for the right-of-way closure would be for the creation of a cul-de-sac or another type of turn-around feature to be created for emergency personnel.

Carter County Bank has proposed to install gates for access to the closed portion of the avenue to assist with emergency vehicles needing to make access to the neighborhood.

Another project that will go through a first reading is an ordinance to rezone property at 1020 West G Street to a B-2 district to accommodate new apartments.

Each of these projects must pass through a first reading, then a second reading at a following City Council meeting before becoming official.

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A task order through Mattern & Craig  will be looked at by City Council in regards to an engineering report for Covered Bridge.

According to documents from City Hall, officials discovered the bridge was leaning toward the upstream direction of the river. Once discovered, City officials worked with Mattern & Craig to discover that the bridge was sage and no emergency action was required.

The purpose for Thursday’s vote will provide the city with an engineering report to establish is repairs are needed for the bridge moving forward. According to the documents, if repairs are needed “the report will contain an action plan for short and long-term repair and maintenance tasks.”

The cost of the task order is $25,200. Reportedly, $7,000 can be funded through the Engineering Department’s fund with the remaining balance coming from the general fund balance – pending City Council approval.

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Water Resources Department officials are also looking to stay busy with a few projects with Council looking at awarding a bid for repainting of the Max Jet water tank.

The lowest bid for the repainting was from Scott I. Enterprises — based out of Newnan, Ga. — for $112,600. The department is also requesting a contingency fund of $17,000 for a maximum total of $129,600 for the project. The contingency fund, according to documents form City Hall, is to “enable (the department) to respond to possible hidden issues once the old paint is sandblasted off (inside the tank).”

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Four streets are also on the docket to receive some attention from the Street and Sanitation Department. Officials will vote to approve resurfacing of West G Street (from Carter Boulevard to Mary Patton Highway), Sabine Street (from West G Street to Edgewood Avenue), Doe Avenue (from Lynn Avenue to Watauga Avenue) and E Street (from Doe Avenue to Roan Street).

With a $400,000 budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year, the proposed bid from Summers–Taylor — the only company to make a bid for the project — is at $326,218.50.

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Another topic for discussion will be the approval of an extension of a management agreement between the City of Elizabethton and the Minnesota Twins for the 2018 Appalachian League season. The agreement is strictly just for the upcoming season, according to City Hall documents, and is not a long-term commitment from either parties. No further updates have been provided to the Elizabethton Star following the city’s request of Minnesota to help cover costs of renovations at Joe O’Brien Field.