Route 36 East project moving forward

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During its 7 p.m. meeting today in municipal court chambers, Urbana City Council will vote on recommendations made by the administration to approve two separate contracts – totaling $66,950 – relating to the U.S. Route 36 East Improvement Project.

Originally scheduled to begin in spring 2016, the project, which involves the section of U.S. Route 36 East from Berwick Drive to Lippincott Lane, was pushed back to 2017 earlier this year due to a right-of-way issue.

“We thought we had right of way in those areas (1637 E. U.S. Route 36, 1471 E. U.S. Route 36, 1472 E. U.S. Route 36 and 1490 E. U.S. Route 36), but during the review process, it was identified that additional right of way would be needed,” Community Development Manager Doug Crabill said during a council meeting back in January.

Nearly a year after the issue was brought forth, the Ohio Department of Transportation recently authorized right-of-way acquisition for the project, allowing the city to move forward.

With the U.S. 36 East Improvement Project back on track for 2017, council’s approval is being sought to amend the existing contract with DLZ Ohio Inc. to add additional services in the amount of $57,050 for project management, appraisal work, title research, negotiation services, closing services, and recording fees/services related to the project.

In a separate measure related to the project, council is being asked to authorize a purchase order in the amount of $9,900 to Henkaline and Associates Inc. for review appraisal services.

Administration noted in its requests that all the work was planned for and included in the 2016 budget.

Personnel contracts

Council is scheduled to hear the third and final readings of two separate ordinances pertaining to the collective bargaining agreements between the city and its firefighters and fire captains.

If council votes in favor of the new three-year labor agreements, the city’s firefighters and fire captains would receive base wage increases of 1 percent, 1.25 percent and 1.25 percent, respectively, in each year of the deal.

As for hourly wages, the contract for city firefighters calls for a base hourly rate of $14.62 in year one ($43,713.80 annual salary), while the contract for fire captains calls for a base hourly rate of $21.48. In both contracts, the base rate of pay increases based on years of experience.

Other changes to the contracts, if approved, involve language allowing for an additional personal day for employees who do not use sick leave in a calendar year (January through December) and an increase in the uniform allowance from $800 to $900 a year.

In other contract-related matters, council will hear the second reading of a collective bargaining agreement between the city and the Urbana Service Divisions, which is represented by the Public Employees of Ohio Teamsters Local 284.

In other business:

•Council will be asked to suspend the three-readings rule and pass on first reading an ordinance authorizing the director of administration to enter into a contract with Miami Valley Lighting for street lighting services for use on public grounds and streets in the city.

•Administration will recommend council authorize a purchase order to Hull & Associates in the amount of $7,676 for the 2015 environmental monitoring services for the landfill.

•Council will vote on a measure allowing the director of administration to enter into a unit price contract with J&J Schlaegel Inc. for the 2016 unit price concrete work based on need.

•A resolution confirming the appointments of Liela Anderson, Diane Kremer, and Phil Edwards to the Local Tax Review Board for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 will undergo a first reading.

By Joshua Keeran

[email protected]

Joshua Keeran may be reached at 937-652-1331 (ext. 1774) or on Twitter @UDCKeeran.

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