Pittsburg City Commission to discuss borrowing money for streetscaping

July 06, 2008 09:32 pm

— By Doug Graham
news@joplinglobe.com
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Pittsburg City Commissioners will vote Tuesday on resolutions to borrow money to complete downtown improvements.
Interim City Manager John Van Gorden said Phase One of a sidewalk renovation project, which runs from Second to Eighth streets on Broadway, should be completed in late July or early August, weather permitting. The project includes the building of wider sidewalks, as well as the installation of new benches, trees, traffic lights and streetlights. State funding covered about 75 percent of the $1.3 million price tag.
But when city officials went looking for money to fund Phase Two, which will renovate Broadway from Eighth to 11th streets, they were denied $1.5 million in funds from the Kansas Department of Transportation. Roughly half a million dollars also is needed to fund the resurfacing of Broadway.
Van Gorden and finance director Jon Garrison presented alternatives for funding Phase Two during a recent work session. Resolutions to borrow money for the sidewalk renovations and street resurfacing will be on the agenda Tuesday.
Van Gorden said he expects those resolutions to pass.
“All five of (the commission members) have been supportive,” he said.
Garrison said the city will take out a long-term loan to pay for the projects if the resolutions pass.
“What we’re basically going to do is take out a loan just like you would if you were buying a house,” Garrison said.
The loan could take 20 years to repay, but Van Gorden said he hopes to get work started as soon as possible. Other city projects, Van Gorden said, will not be affected.
“Our hope is that we will get good bids, and we can start on the second phase this fall,” Van Gorden said.

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