What is the town of Meeker up to in 2011?

Special to the Herald TimesMEEKER I As the year 2011 began, the projects identified for this year began as well. Following are some of the larger projects being undertaken by the town this year:
Town Hall upgrades:The town and Rio Blanco County worked together with the State of Colorado and Ennovate to have energy audits performed on some of the county and town buildings. The town is currently in the process of performing the upgrades recommended in the audit. All of the lighting in Town Hall has been retrofitted to more energy-efficient lighting and window film was installed on the south, west and east sides of the building to mitigate solar heat build-up. A bid request will be issued soon to upgrade the cooling and heating systems which are more than 30 years old.  New bulk water electronic system:The town’s current electronic bulk water system is outdated and parts can no longer be purchased to keep it operating. The town will be soon installing a new electronic system which uses a digital chip in the form of a key instead of the cards currently in use. The key with a digital chip is much more durable and will be more reliable than the current cards. The bulk water system will not be in operation for a period of time during the installation of the new equipment. Those using the system will be notified and signs will be posted on location to notify everyone in advance.
Cleveland Street repaving project: Specifications and plans are almost completed and a bid request will be advertised very soon for a project which includes repaving the entire length of Cleveland and correcting some drainage issues.
Water storage tank renovation: Specifications and plans are almost completed and a bid request will soon be advertised to renovate the concrete water storage tank. Upon completion of the renovation, all of the town’s water storage tanks will have been renovated within the past three years. Upgrading and streamlining subdivision and other zoning codes: Work is going forward on revising some of the town’s codes to be clearer and more streamlined.
Market Street sidewalk update:The mayor, the board of trustees and staff members are moving forward within the guidelines of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Federal Funding process to begin the Market Street Sidewalk process. A Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFQ) for the design engineer was issued. The submissions received from interested engineering firms have been reviewed by the selection committee and the town is in the process of choosing an engineer. After the engineer is chosen, the town will enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with CDOT to receive funding for the project. Engineering work cannot commence until the IGA is signed by both parties. This phase of the project will take several months and include executing the IGA, completing environmental studies, surveying work, identifying utility locations and CDOT required plan reviews. The sidewalks are scheduled to be constructed in 2012. The town is working closely with CDOT staff to insure all the steps are completed in compliance with the regulations.
Main Street Elementary SchoolThe board continues its work to determine the best use of the property. They will be looking at other projects successfully completed on the Western Slope in the near future and advertising a request for interest to determine what kinds of options might be available. Options will be evaluated keeping in mind economic factors and what may be most beneficial to the community.
Meeker Chamber of Commerce The board provides funding and other assistance to the Meeker Chamber of Commerce to assist with, primarily, economic development endeavors. The mayor, board and staff members enjoy serving you, the community, which is special due to each of your contributions. We welcome your suggestions and comments which are vital to Meeker being the best it can be.We welcome requests for more detailed information on any of the projects or other questions concerning town government. Further information may be obtained by calling 878-4960 or visiting Town Hall at 345 Market St.