Posted: 7/24/02

Council puts a halt to road paving plan

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

A trio of paving projects in the city of Forest Lake got ditched at the Forest Lake City Council meeting Monday, July 22.

A frustrated city council said they could not support a paving project not supported by the majority of affected residents.

The $371,600 priced project includes improvements to Jason Avenue North north of North Shore Trail; Janero Avenue North; Juno Avenue North north of Scandia Trail North; Imperial Avenue North north of Scandia Trail North and Scandia Trail North frontage road between Juno Avenue North and 210th Street North.

The project, in former township, have been discussed as paving projects for several years. The total project cost, as estimated by Phil Gravel, city engineer with Bonestroo and Associates, presented paving plans to residents during a public hearing Monday, July 8 and again reviewed the project during city council Monday, July 22.

ìThe goal is to get some of the gravel areas paved,î Gravel said.

Residents have expressed resistance to the project due to increasing costs.

City Administrator Chip Robinson reminded residents the cost problem will not go away.

ìItís not going to go down, it just isnít going to go down,î he said.

John Tom Lynch, who two weeks ago said, because the projects are small, it needs to be an all or nothing deal, suggested throwing the project out.

ìIíd just as soon you folks enjoy the gravel road and wait until 80 percent of the people who pay taxes on the road want it,î Lynch said. ìIf 80 percent of the people want it, it should happen.î

To repeatedly open the can of worms for a few wasnít worth the hassle.

Because the projects are small, costs will only increase if one or more of the road projects is removed from the package.

ìIím not for any of this unless itís all or nothing,î Lynch said.

Councilman Bruce Carlson agreed. He said the majority of residents would need to want the improvement for him to support it.

ìI donít want to hear it in the grocery store. I donít want to hear it in the auto parts store. I donít want to hear anymore about itóabout how Iím screwing the public.

With Councilman Terry Smith dissenting, the council threw out the proposed project.

ìWe need a majority backing the projects,î Mayor Ray Daninger said.

Meetings

The Forest Lake City Council regularly meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month in the city council chambers.

The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 12.

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