Paul Rignell
Columbus Reporter
Columbus council members had reached consensus on a few reductions in a proposed budget for 2015, and they made some corresponding cuts in the city levy for next year since approving a preliminary levy before a county deadline Sept. 30.
Outgoing council member Jessie Messina said Dec. 10 that the trimming was not enough for him, however. That night, he voted against council’s approval of $2.37 million in levies primarily covering $194,922 in debt service obligations and supporting a general budget of $2.39 million.
Messina first ran for council four years ago. He filed this year for re-election, and on polling day he finished third in a race for two seats behind the other incumbent Bill Krebs and challenger Mark Daly (who placed first overall).
Sitting council members agreed Dec. 10 to cancel a second meeting for the month that was proposed for Dec. 30, so the levy decision included one of Messina’s final votes in his elected role.
He had been new to government when he ran for office in 2010. “I felt compelled to run (that year) and I am glad I did. I have learned a lot,” Messina said Dec. 10.
A majority of the increase in the city’s general levy for 2015, which totals $198,527 or 10.5 percent over the previous levy, is designated for the blacktop fund, which will increase from $190,000 to $312,360.
City staff coordinated new paving in two neighborhoods with petitioning residents and land owners this past fall (where the city is budgeting for future maintenance), and City Engineer Larry Bohrer illustrated that other paved roads will be due for seal coating in 2015 along with some planned mill and overlay work.
Street engineers advise seal coating for paved roads every six years.
In other road discussion, council members were unanimous Dec. 10 in voting to authorize a grant application that may bring state funds for moving the access for Hornsby Street located north of Highway 97, east of Interstate 35.
If successful in getting help for that project, the city could realign the northern access for Hornsby Street with the road’s southern access from Hwy. 97. The city worked with the state to shift that intersection to the east and away from the freeway’s off-ramp after a grant award of $594,000 came in 2010.
The state’s Local Road Improvement Program allows a maximum grant of $750,000 for construction. Any costs for project design or acquisition of right-of-way must be secured by the applicant through other means.
The relocation of Hornsby Street both north and south of Hwy. 97 had been recommended since 1999 to ease traffic flow, reduce congestion and increase safety.