For a number of years, the town of Meeker has heard citizens, business people and property owners address the need to add sidewalks along Market Street. Although it may appear nothing has been done, town staff members have been inching through the Colorado Department of Transportation’s miles of requirements to make changes to a state-owned highway.
The board held a workshop Feb. 1 to discuss engineering proposals to design the Market Street Sidewalk Project. At the end of October, the town submitted a request for statements of qualifications. In December, a committee made up of Sharon Day, Joe Holeyfield and Russell Overton evaluated the statements based on the Colorado Department of Transportation’s requirements.
Firms were required to submit their qualifications to provide design and engineering for constructing new curb, sidewalks and gutters on both sides of Market Street.
The project itself will involve the construction of 10,446 linear feet of curb, gutter and sidewalk; installation of “V” pans at side street crossings; the removal of 67,500 square feet of soils and old curb and gutter; and soils stabilization and revegetation adjacent to the sidewalks.
After discussion about the way the firms were evaluated, trustee Dan Conrado expressed concern about whether local firms had a “fair shot” at the project. Opting not to discuss details of the process during the workshop, the board agreed to add an executive session to the agenda.
In the regular board of trustees meeting:
• Trustees awarded the bid for a full-sized four-wheel drive police vehicle to Northwest Auto of Meeker for $31,394. Northwest Auto was the only bidder to supply a complete bid.
• Held a public hearing for two special events liquor licenses requests by Lions Club for the March 12 Firemen’s Ball and the April 2 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Dinner. Both licenses were approved.
• Approved a new police department evaluation form which will “better address law enforcement issues” than the standard form used by the town staff.
• Approved 2011 quarterly payments from the Walbridge Fund to the Eastern Rio Blanco County Health Services District/Pioneers Medical Services. “The fund (managed by Wells Fargo) is doing very well,” said Town Administrator Sharon Day.
• Town Planner Anna Smith has resigned to go to work for Rio Blanco County.
