Streetscape project going well

Despite regular interruptions due to bad weather, Vandalia’s most-recent downtown streetscape project appears to be moving along at a good pace.
“I think it’s going very well,” Mayor Rick Gottman said at last week’s city council meeting.
The city’s director of public works agreed with the mayor.
“It’s just going real good,” said John Moyer, giving good marks to the general contractor, Kinney Construction of Raymond. “They’re real particular.”
At a meeting at the end of April, Rob Kinney estimated that it will take two months to complete the project, which will include new sidewalks, curbing and period street lighting in the 100 and 200 blocks of South Fourth Street.
The council approved at the meeting a pay request of $142,796.39 from Kinney, and Gottman reported five change orders totaling $26,565.50.
The change orders included repair work done to a building after vibration from equipment caused some soft bricks to fall out.
The project, which is being wholly funded with state grant funds, also includes a new street overlay.
Also at last Monday’s meeting, the council approved a new one-year agreement with Buxton Co. for economic development assistance.
Alderman Andy Lester asked about the ongoing need for such an agreement. “The only time I hear Buxton is when we pay them.”
The contract calls for the Texas-based firm to represent the city at various trade shows. It also provides the city with valuable statistical data related to economic development, according to Executive Assistant LaTisha Paslay.
“Most every community has some sort of tool like this to get data,” Paslay said.
Gottman added that for that service alone, the city is getting a bargain. “If we had to get that data (ourselves) we would spend way more than this.”
Also at the meeting:
• Gottman announced his council committee appointments for his fourth term, with the chairman of each committee listed first:
-Streets – B. John Clark, Lester and Russ Stunkel.
-Water and sewer – Terry Beesley, B. John Clark, Mike Hobler and Dorothy Crawford.
-Public safety – Jerry Swarm, Stunkel, Beesley and Hobler.
-Building and grounds – Lester, Beesley, Neil Clark and Hobler.
-Personnel, finance and insurance – Stunkel, B. John Clark and Swarm.
-Cemetery and landfill – Neil clark, Swarm, Crawford and Stunkel.
-Lake – Hobler, Lester and Swarm.
-Railroad and industrial development – Lester, B. John Clark and Beesley.
-Tourism – Crawford, Swarm, B. John Clark and Neil Clark.
• Stunkel reported that Ryan Ambuehl had been hired as a lifeguard at Jaycees Beach, to work on an as-needed basis.
• Gottman reported that Mid-State Camper Sales has been giving one-night stays at the Vandalia Lake campgrounds to customers buying either new or used campers. Since May 23 of last year, Gottman said, they had given out 146 stays.
“They are helping to promote the city of Vandalia (by doing this),” Gottman said.
• Swarm reported that the city’s Police and Fire Commission had hired Brian Roedl as a patrolman. Roedl, who joined the city’s police force this Wednesday, was working as an officer in Greenville, and has previously worked for the city as a part-time dispatcher.
• The council referred to the city’s planning commission two ordinance amendments governing zoning.
One of the amendments will allow professional services such as accounting to be included in the city’s medical and downtown commercial districts, and the other will provide for the inclusion of such things as auto sales and repair in the downtown commercial district.
• The council approved the $6,000 bid from Smith Backhoe Service for the demolition of a building at 1002 W. Johnson St. Smith’s bid was $35 higher than the lowest bid, but it did not include any additional add-on costs.