SALEM - The Streets, Alleys and Sidewalk Committee will meet on Jan. 14 to discuss engineering costs associated with Phase II and III of the East Pershing Street extension.
City officials want to complete the street to Butcher Road and, along the way, create a rear entrance to the Aldi's and Marc's plaza, north of the street. Service Safety Director Steve Andres has said an entrance/exit to East Pershing Street would relieve some traffic exiting onto East State Street where some people have lobbied for a traffic signal.
Work on Phase I, extending the street to the rear of the Eastgate Plaza, has been completed and the administration asked council to pass legislation for the engineering Tuesday, but it was referred for committee review after council questioned it.
Councilman Dennis Groves asked if it could be paid for with tax incremental funding (TIF).
TIF s are funding tools that use future gains in taxes to finance the current improvements that will create those gains.
Chairman Mary Ann Dzuracky said she wanted specifics on the cost. She heard two figures, $16,000 and $73,000, but was unsure if the amounts were for Phase I or both. She said there were no dollar amounts in the draft legislation.
She said the Utilities Department was going to pay $16,000 and wanted a cost break down, adding she thought $73,000 was quite a bit of money. Dzuracky expected to resolve those issues.
The committee will also discuss the proposed farmer's market that was brought to council on Tuesday by a group.
"I think it's a good idea," Dzuracky said, adding the people wanted permission and an idea of when and where they could set up.
The group suggested the small brick plaza next to Troll's Jewelry but Dzuracky said there was an area across the street that had also been suggested.
A farmers market operated on Saturday mornings in the municipal parking lot at the North Ellsworth Avenue and East State Street intersection several years ago.
Larry Shields can be reached at lshields@salemnews.net
