Council approves changes to Louisa riverwalk project

By TONY FYFFE

BSN Editor

LOUISA — The Louisa City Council last week approved a change to a contract that will increase the cost of the city’s riverwalk project by more than $100,000.Mike Hill of Summit Engineering told council members during their regular monthly meeting Sept. 15 that an archaeological study will have to be conducted, which was not part of the original plans. He said the state historic preservation office recommended the study because “the trail is in close proximity to two historically significant resources. One is the Captain Freese House and the other is the lock and dam.” “Anticipating that that’ll work itself out, the next phase we move into is right-of-way acquisition,” Hill said. “That’s a significant cost to the project. It wasn’t something we could get a good estimate on when we initially did our professional services contract, so we left that as something to be negotiated later. Both the archaeology and the right-of-way services require consultants who are pre-qualified for those specialty serves by the transportation department. Summit doesn’t do that, so we work with other consultants to do that work routinely. ”Hill said the archaeological study will cost $14,000, and right-of-way services will be about $78,900, which he expected to go down because he anticipates the city will do the title work, the deeds and the closings as part of its funding match. He noted that there are about 15 parcels of land along the trial, including two already owned by the city. Hill said Summit will also do the property survey work, which will cost $24,000.Mayor Harold Slone, who said earlier in the discussion that he started the riverwalk project “an eternity ago,” said the initial price tag for the project was $320,00, which has “significantly increased” over the last few years. He said he hoped to receive additional Transportation Alternative Program (TAP) funds to cover the additional costs. “I just want to know, are we going to be able to obtain the funding — the difference of $320,000 and $700,000, which is what we’re up to now.” Slone said he thought the city would be able to receive the additional money or state officials would not have allowed the project to progress as it has. Council members approved an addendum to the project contract to allow for the additional work requested by Hill. In a related matter, the council authorized Slone to advertise for construction bids for an outdoor restroom for the riverwalk that could also be utilized by citizens using the city pool and basketball court facilities. The restroom project will be funded by a grant from the Recreational Trails Program, Slone said. Council members also set Trick or Treat in Louisa for Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Slone noted that there had been an abundance of phones calls asking whether Trick or Treat would be held this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think we should have it, with some safety recommendations,” Slone said, adding that one would be to extend the time for Trick or Treat because of social distancing requirements. The mayor said citizens do not have to participate in Trick or Treat if they do not want to. “If any parent doesn’t feel comfortable taking (their children, don’t take them,” he said. “And if anybody doesn’t feel comfortable giving out candy, don’t give out candy. ”In other business, the council set the city property tax rate at .2400 cents per $100 of assessed value, which was the same rate as last year; and appointed Debbie Cordle to the Board of Assessment Appeals.