Cole County commissioners Tuesday approved an agreement for sale of the financing bonds for the Parkview Meadows Neighborhood Improvement District Project. Work on the project in the St. Martins area is nearly complete.
Kaufman Enterprises was the lowest bidder of seven companies in the running and was awarded the project a year ago. Its $394,000 bid was considerably lower than the estimated $607,812.
More than 100 properties off Route T will be in the district. Hawthorn Bank did the financing for the project.
Landowners will have the option to pay off their costs 30 days after the work is finished or to have it go on their tax bill as a lien.
The county Public Works department has overseen the work, which includes improvements to streets, curbs, driveway entrances and drainage.
Also during Tuesday's meeting, commissioners also signed court orders for stop signs and speed limit signs in association with an improvement project done last year on Swift Road/Boise Brule Road. The signs were recommended by the county's traffic and safety committee. The signs are already in place.
The traffic measures approved by the commission included making the speed limit 45 mph on the paved portion of Boise Brule/Swift, putting a stop sign at Grove Road and Boise Brule, and putting a stop sign at Blue Ridge Road and Boise Brule.
Money from the Cole County half-cent capital improvement sales tax paid for the work.
The overall upgrade project for Boise Brule Road and Swift Road went from Route H near Henley to U.S. 54 near Eugene, a 4-mile stretch. The roadway went from gravel to paved asphalt.
The commission approved a $2.3 million contract with Don Schnieders Excavating for the work, which included paving the gravel road, as well as work on three bridges/box culverts along the stretch.
The project required area residents to submit a petition met various criteria. One requirement was at least 125 vehicles must travel the road daily.
Commissioners also ordered an abatement of a property in the Westview Heights area. There had been complaints about Bradley and Patricia Jansen's property at 5109 Scruggs Station Road in the past, county Code Enforcement Officer Mike Sapp said. While it was not as bad as in the past, he said, there were still violations such as tall grass, particularly in the back of the property, as well as trash such as a water heater and other items that needed to be cleared.
The abatement process begins when Sapp responds to a complaint and investigates to determine if a violation exists. If so, notice is sent to property owner describing violations, and they are usually given 30 days to get in compliance. If they don't, a hearing is held before the County Commission.
If the commission finds a violation, abatement is ordered and a private contractor is hired. The bill is submitted to the county health department, which pays it; then a bill, plus a $100 administration fee, is sent to the property owner, due 30 days after the work is done. If the bill is not paid after 35 days, a lien against the property is added to the tax bill.