Minutes-03/03/1965 (2)

the recommendations of Powers in which they had an alternative—instead of scarifying and topping, they could have filled with stone the lateral trenches, but they didn't. It is my opinion that this is their responsibility. The cost that we have had to bear in maintaining these roads in the poor shape they are in and the additional cost we will have to bear in bringing them up to substandard grade for spring. Powers is sympathetic with Glenn Construction, and I told him I was, too. They did a fine job for us, but I said they fell far short of finishing up the job and we had no intention of leashing them off the hook. As it stands now, Powers and I are in agreement that the cost of this outlay in the majority will be borne by Glenn Construction. There isn't any question that the outlay we will make in the next year aside from this amount of money we have already spent we will spend an additional amount far in excess of what we would normally have spent had we not had a sewer project. The contract reads, general specifications that the streets be left in the condition in which they were found. A lot of the contractors will attempt to dodge this. We have a comparison of crowns on the east-west streets that were not dug up. We have carried our streets in pretty good shape on an annual budget of $3,000 a year and that would be our guideline. We are not going to go into any debt over streets. Whether we will be successful in holding that position it is hard to say, but we are going to try to. We have 10% of his contract in escrow, which means $300. We have to recognize in all fairness that there are expenses that are almost by-products of this kind of project. Wayne asked if there is any possibility of us swinging the water. If the streets are put in top condition will they stay in top condition for three or four years. We have estimates some time ago about the cost of a water system, and with our bonding capacity couldn't we do it? Well, I can't say frankly because the big item here is the source of this water and the treatment of the water. We just don't have anything except a rough idea. Until we get a '66 appraisal, we don't know our bonding capacity. The final figures haven't really come in yet on that. This is already two years ago, and they were figuring a well up on top and an underground tank. Even figuring $65,000, we were to go entirely on revenue, this would add another $3.00 to what we would be paying, for sewer and water. This is without assessments, of course. Whether we want to do it that way or take a bite out of assessments, a bite out of general obligation bonds, go bonds would be paid out of taxes, which would go up about 6 mills. It is the geologist's job to assemble the material on the underground water supply. This strata is so much better than the big supply at about 200 feet. The geologist feels that we should investigate this shallower source completely before we decide to go down and get the hard water. If the fire association is willing to accept this well here and pay for the casing, we can plug this money into another well. He is going to have to assemble this information and get together with Latta. We are limited to the $750 which we set. We can't rush them. The Geological Survey is giving us all this for nothing. Sewer. Elmer Wood is going to come in from Ohio and set the thing in operation and show us how to maintain it. NEW BUSINESS: Bill Bream moved, Glenn seconded that the Road Use Report be sent in as read. Carried. Money rec'd and paid out. Wayne moved, Bill B. 2nd to adjourn.