Council approves paving bid

Published Date Written by Barbara Tetreault

BERLIN – Sections of Hutchins Street and Route 110 will be paved by the end of September.
The city council, which allocated $330,000 in its fiscal 2013 budget to tackle the roads, reviewed the sole bid the city received for the paving projects.
The council asked for bids to remove the top several inches of pavement and replace it with hot-mix asphalt for three sections of Hutchins Street running from Bridge Street to Page Hill Road to the urban compact line and for the section of Route 110 from the urban compact line to the Isaacson office building. That bid, from Pike Paving, came in at $232,092. The city also asked for bids for two other options – to do Hutchins Street from Napert Village to Turcotte Street and Route 110 from Isaacson to Wight Street. Those bids came in at $40,275 and $71,940 respectively.
City Manager Patrick MacQueen noted all three bids totaled $344,308, more than the city had budgeted. He recommended doing the main project and the additional Route 110 option at a total cost of $304,000. He said he believes the Hutchins Street realignment project will take place next year and will take care of the Napert Village section.
Public Works Director Michael Perreault said with the remaining $26,000 Public Works will do some experimenting and see if it can fix the sections of Hutchins Street that will not be done.
The council approved awarding the bid with the stipulation that the work be completed by the end of September.
Councilor Mike Rozek called it a good start but said he believes the council needs to be more involved in the city’s streets.
In other business:
*  Mayor Paul Grenier said the council will devote a major portion of the Sept. 10 council meeting to discuss recycling and reviewing proposed changes to the city’s solid waste ordinance. He said his goal is to implement a new recycling initiative October 1 aimed at reducing the amount of municipal waste the city sends to the regional landfill at a cost of $67 per ton. City Manager Patrick MacQueen provided the council with some suggestions for amending the city’s ordinance developed by local citizens, Don and Paula Benski. MacQueen said he prepared a draft of the city’s ordinance reflecting the changes recommended by the Benskis. The council decided it will do a first reading of the draft at its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 4 and then make final changes after the Sept. 10 discussion. Public Works Director Mike Perreault reported the new recycling bins ordered by the city will be delivered this week.
* A state Department of Transportation proposal to build a detention pond for the Route 110 bypass on property belonging to the owners of Valley Creek Eatery drew opposition from the council. In a memo to the council, City Planner Pamela Laflamme explained that DOT has determined the re-alignment of Route 110 would send storm water from the avenues into the Dead River. To prevent that, DOT is proposing to build a detention pond at the rear of the Valley Creek Eatery property owned by Steve and Penny Binette. Laflamme said the city asked about an underground detention pond, which would allow the Binettes to still use the rear of their property for parking. She said an underground system would cost about $600,000 compared to $100,000 for an above ground pond and would require more maintenance by the city.
Steve Binette said the state has not talked to the couple about the pond. He said they have put a lot of money into the parking lot and use it for parking during events at the Notre Dame arena. Penny Binette said she worries the pond will have an odor and will ruin their business.
City Manager Patrick MacQueen pointed out the Binettes have been very good corporate citizens and Steve Binette recently did the electrical work for the Farmers Market as a donation to the city.
Councilor Mike Rozek and Roland Theberge said they believe DOT can locate the pond further up the road. Public Works Director Mike Perreault said DOT looked at a location on Roderick Street but determined there was too much ledge. Mayor Paul Grenier said he wanted DOT to take a second look at Roderick Street and suggested the department to do core samples. He instructed MacQueen to tell DOT there is no support on the council for locating the pond on the Binettes’ property.
*  The council held a first reading of an amendment to the city ordinance requiring a certificate of occupancy for single family rental properties to ensure they have automatic fire and carbon monoxide warning devices.
*  Brown Elementary School Principal Amy Huter reported that the new playground equipment for the school has been ordered. The old equipment will be demolished on Aug. 15 and the new equipment installed Aug. 24 and 25. She said most of the necessary $30,000 has been raised. A road toll is scheduled for Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to help raise the remaining money.
“The support has been wonderful,” she said.
*  Gerard Nault was reappointed to another term on the police commission.