MONROE - Widening 8th and 9th streets has been postponed for a year, barring any new information that could change the position of members of the Monroe Board of Public Works.
The five-member board voted unanimously to postpone the project Monday at a special meeting.
The status of a concurrent project to replace water and sanitary sewer Infrastructure on these streets remains to be discussed.
Kelly Finkenbinder, director of Public Works, said some aspects of the reconstruction project will most likely be on the agenda for the board's regular meeting Monday.
Thurston Hanson, who made the motion, cited the projected completion date of early September as one reason he wanted the widening postponed.
"Pushing this through on a Cheese Days year, I doubt it'll be done," he said.
Cheese Days is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 18.
The decision to postpone the widening of the street puts into question the availability of the state grant that would fund 80 percent of the street construction. Work on water and sewer lines would be paid by the city's utilities.
The board directed Finkenbinder to inquire about the grant's status and whether widening is required.
Hanson wants two questions answered: Is the grant funding contingent upon widening the street, and can the project be delayed until 2011.
Finkenbinder said he had only verbal confirmation from the state that the grant would still be available if postponed until 2011, but wanted written confirmation.
"If the funds stay solid - that's very pertinent information to have," Board member Mark Coplien said.
Hanson said he went along with the widening project "only because I thought the grant was contingent on it."
"I'm not voting yes any further," he said.
Postponing probably would cause the cost of the project to increase, but didn't believe the economy would improve much and bids from construction companies would still be competitive, Hanson said.
The special meeting was scheduled to discuss the project, including a petition opposing the widening. The petition with 112 signatures was submitted to the board last week.
About 20 citizens attended the meeting Monday.
Board members Chuck Schuringa and Coplien said they also received calls from residents on 9th Street who were not in favor of the widening project.
"This has been planned for years; we're just now finding out we got problems?" Schuringa said.
Alderman Jan Lefevre said she has lived in the city since 1990 and has not seen a huge increase in traffic during that time. She asked the board whether the water and sewer infrastructure could be done and the road widened when it needed to replaced again in 20 years.
Finkenbinder said the infrastructure has an expected live span of more than 20 years.
Bruce Stiner, who lives on 9th Street, agreed the city population has not increased enough to warrant the widening, but said infrastructure updating was needed.
"I don't think there's a person on 9th Street that doesn't realize the infrastructure needs replacement," he said.
With the project postponed until 2011, Hanson pointed out a new council could be deciding the outcome.
"We could have a different council, different mayor. We could have four different faces, depending upon what the voters think," he said.
In April, Ward 3 (Coplien), Ward 7 (Hanson), and Mayor Ron Marsh face challengers for re-election. Charles Koch, Alderman for Ward 5, is up for re-election unopposed.
The five-member board voted unanimously to postpone the project Monday at a special meeting.
The status of a concurrent project to replace water and sanitary sewer Infrastructure on these streets remains to be discussed.
Kelly Finkenbinder, director of Public Works, said some aspects of the reconstruction project will most likely be on the agenda for the board's regular meeting Monday.
Thurston Hanson, who made the motion, cited the projected completion date of early September as one reason he wanted the widening postponed.
"Pushing this through on a Cheese Days year, I doubt it'll be done," he said.
Cheese Days is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 18.
The decision to postpone the widening of the street puts into question the availability of the state grant that would fund 80 percent of the street construction. Work on water and sewer lines would be paid by the city's utilities.
The board directed Finkenbinder to inquire about the grant's status and whether widening is required.
Hanson wants two questions answered: Is the grant funding contingent upon widening the street, and can the project be delayed until 2011.
Finkenbinder said he had only verbal confirmation from the state that the grant would still be available if postponed until 2011, but wanted written confirmation.
"If the funds stay solid - that's very pertinent information to have," Board member Mark Coplien said.
Hanson said he went along with the widening project "only because I thought the grant was contingent on it."
"I'm not voting yes any further," he said.
Postponing probably would cause the cost of the project to increase, but didn't believe the economy would improve much and bids from construction companies would still be competitive, Hanson said.
The special meeting was scheduled to discuss the project, including a petition opposing the widening. The petition with 112 signatures was submitted to the board last week.
About 20 citizens attended the meeting Monday.
Board members Chuck Schuringa and Coplien said they also received calls from residents on 9th Street who were not in favor of the widening project.
"This has been planned for years; we're just now finding out we got problems?" Schuringa said.
Alderman Jan Lefevre said she has lived in the city since 1990 and has not seen a huge increase in traffic during that time. She asked the board whether the water and sewer infrastructure could be done and the road widened when it needed to replaced again in 20 years.
Finkenbinder said the infrastructure has an expected live span of more than 20 years.
Bruce Stiner, who lives on 9th Street, agreed the city population has not increased enough to warrant the widening, but said infrastructure updating was needed.
"I don't think there's a person on 9th Street that doesn't realize the infrastructure needs replacement," he said.
With the project postponed until 2011, Hanson pointed out a new council could be deciding the outcome.
"We could have a different council, different mayor. We could have four different faces, depending upon what the voters think," he said.
In April, Ward 3 (Coplien), Ward 7 (Hanson), and Mayor Ron Marsh face challengers for re-election. Charles Koch, Alderman for Ward 5, is up for re-election unopposed.