Lewiston
discusses replacing city sidewalks
By Jake Williams
September 20, 2007 | LEWISTON -- Lewiston citizens
can expect better sidewalks in their fair city -- someday.
Beyond declaring an old snowplow and air compressor
as surplus property, the Lewiston City Council didn't
make any decisions beyond the need for more information
when they met Tuesday night to discuss replacement of
the city's aging sidewalks.
"Some of them were put in 80 years ago," said Councilman
Darwin Pitcher.
Mayor Kelly Field confirmed Pitcher's claim, citing
sidewalk construction documentation from 1916.
The council disagreed on several points during discussions,
including whether an engineering study should be undertaken
where sidewalks are being replaced instead of added.
Pitcher, for one, contended that such a study seemed
unnecessary.
Payment for the walkways was the real holdup, however,
and the council discussed several avenues of finance
including government grants, city-wide taxation, and
even asking homeowners to pay for the sidewalk work
done on their own property.
Karen Jackson said, "Homeowners should pay for enhancements
for their own properties."
Kim "Fizz" Bodily replied, "I don't think
(a new sidewalk) enhances my property that much."
When discussion wrapped up, the council agreed that
public works officials be allowed to take a look at
the city's sidewalks, and to look further into acquiring
state funding and forming a district for construction.
Although the actual amount of replacement work is
still undecided, the council expects the cement to cost
approximately $100/yd and each city block repaired to
use 40 yards of material.
In other business, Pitcher said the city will have
a snowplow from Ogden for the winter, the cost of which
fell well below the expected $85,000. The used Ogden
plow is Lewiston's for just $35,000 and led to the old
plow's designation as surplus property.
There was no discussion as to whether the extra $50,000
will be used to build approximately 12 city blocks of
sidewalk.
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