Village board approves street patching project

Two stretches of roadway in Clearwater will receive a much-needed update.

During an April 12 meeting, Clearwater Village Board of Trustees approved hot mix patching on a two-block stretch of Nebraska Street, starting at the intersection near the Clearwater Public Library and moving east. Also included will be a stretch of road, beginning at the intersection of First and Main streets and extending north to U.S. Highway 275.

Knife River Midwest will complete the project, which will total $80,409.38.

Work was expected to begin April 19 and be completed by May 5.

Trustees discussed how deep to mill the current surface, so road surfaces will not continue to break down.

Trustee Steve Stearns said, "Most of our rough spots are from overpatching and now, our holes are bumps. I personally think we need to try something."

Multiple streets have been armor coated during the past decade, according to Stearns. For this project, the roadway will be milled four inches and a four-inch hot mix overlay will be applied.

Trustee Mike Klabenes said citizens want to see improved streets and housing.

"That's what they're most mad about, our streets and our housing. We're working on housing, let's work on the streets, too," Klabenes said.

Chairman Steve Hankla said his primary concern comes down to cost of the project, especially if the village receives grant funds to fix streets.

"We've got plenty of streets to fix to use the grant money," said Kevin Filsinger.

Discussion on potential fixes throughout the village took place, with trustees deciding to host a community meeting about road conditions, June 14, prior to the start of the trustees' meeting.

Clearwater Economic Development Director Lauren Sheridan-Simonsen said the LB 840 tax could be raised one-half a percent, targeted to infrastructure.

"Places that have LB 840 are going to 2% instead of 1 1/2%," she told trustees.

One-third of LB 840 funds go into the village's general fund and one-third is earmarked for economic development.

According to Hankla, at the inception of the LB 840 fund, one-third was earmarked to pay off the fire hall and, once paid, that one-third is placed in the general fund savings account.

"Basically, the LB 840 stuff comes out of the general fund," he said.

Stearns said he thinks residents have misconceptions about where LB 840 funds are directed.

"If that's what we're doing, we need to stick one-third of it into the LB 840 street fund. We earmark it," he said.

Hankla asked if the one-third being placed in savings could be directed to street repair.

Sheridan-Simonsen said she will speak with the village attorney about earmarking the amount for street repair.

In other business, trustees:

• approved $35,000 from the LB 840 fund toward a building grant, pending approval, along with $10,000 toward lot purchase for the duplex porject, pending grant approval;

• okayed $5,000 per dwelling with funds released as land is purchased. Construction must begin within 18 months or funds will be returned;

• learned the Clearwater Public Library received a grant to hire an summer intern;

• authorized a $500 digital facade grant to Blade & Bliss and a $750 digital facade grant to the sidebar; and

• agreed to donate $1,500 to the Summerland Ball Association for equipment.