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 The Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passes through downtown Wapakoneta Wednesday, September 1. Staff photo/William Laney By CARLA MEYER
Staff Writer
For 45 minutes, the roar of motorcycles could be heard passing under an American flag hanging from two ladder trucks. For 45 minutes, area residents gathered in the shadow of the Auglaize County Courthouse and Wapakoneta Fire Station waved and clapped as motorcyclists rode by.
The smiles and waves turned into clapping and cheers as the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall passed down Willipie Street on its way to Custenborder Field in Sidney where it was greeted by a field of American flags.
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Residents rail over walks |
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Thursday, 26 March 2009 |
By WILLIAM LANEY
Managing Editor
For the second time in 10 days, residents voiced their displeasure with a plan to install sidewalks along four roadways in a Wapakoneta subdivision known as the “Flower Streets.”
Approximately a dozen residents attended Wapakoneta City Council’s Streets, Alleys and Sidewalks Committee meeting Wednesday to reiterate their concerns first aired to councilors during a March 16 city council meeting.
After more than an hour of discussion, Wapakoneta 4th Ward Councilor Dan Graf said he felt residents better understood the process and the cost and timing of the installation of sidewalks in their neighborhood.
“I understand the people came in and vented that the 2010 sidewalk program was just being shoved down their throat and it isn’t,” Graf said after Wednesday’s meeting. “I was pleased the project was discussed more. They learned the city had asked for more money a few years ago and was turned down, and how that affected street and sidewalk projects.”
Graf was referring to a five-year 2.5-mill property tax levy and five-year 0.50 percent income tax levy sought in 2004.
The committee chair said an explanation of the cost for sidewalk installation for the 2009 project may have helped residents with the potential cost for their properties. Reading from a fact sheet, Graf noted 300-square feet of sidewalk, which equates to approximately 75-lineal feet, cost $1,225. The typical property is approximately 75 feet wide.
If the project is assessed to their property taxes, it would be divided evenly over five years and would first appear on their property tax from the county in January 2012.
Graf also said he explained this may be the best time to install sidewalks because “contractors are hungry for work,” despite the residents’ concerns regarding the economy being in a recession.
“I think they understood that by going forward with the project at this time that they may actually reap the benefit of this being the most economical time to have this project done and by having the payback in three years that this may be the best time for it to happen to them,” Graf said. “I think they also understood that we plan to proceed through the rest of the ‘Flower Streets’ which depends on how much the city Engineering Department can take on.”
Graf said it may be a couple of years before the other “Flower Streets” are enrolled in a program as the three-man Engineering Department is working on the estimated $1 million East Benton Street reconstruction project this year and the estimated $2.7 million Bellefontaine Street reconstruction project in 2010.
Residents from Daisy Drive opened the meeting with concerns regarding the 2010 sidewalk program which includes sidewalks on Magnolia, Daisy and Laurel drives and Gardenia Street in an area commonly known as the “Flower Streets.”
Sidewalks also are planned for South Rauthland Street, West Silver Street from Jackson Street to Defiance Street and from North Blackhoof Street to Highland Street, West Harrison Street from Defiance Street to Wapakoneta Middle School and East Benton Street from Cheyenne Street to Eastown Road.
Ralph Howell, 801 Daisy Drive, opened the meeting saying the timing is “terrible” with the economy in a recession and people being laid off. He requested committee members put the project “on the back burner, not necessarily don’t do them, but put them on the back burner until the economy turns around a little bit.”
Paul Uppenkamp, 1102 Laurel Drive, said councilors should consider many of the residents are on fixed incomes and they would not have the financial means to legally fight the city over the installation of sidewalks.
“If you come to my property and you say you are going to put these in, you are not putting them in,” Uppenkamp said. “It is like I told Mr. (Safety-Service Director Rex) Katterheinrich, if you are going to put them in then you are going to buy my property.
“I don’t like being railroaded, and this is us being railroaded,” he said.
Sandra Rosengarten, 910 Daisy Drive, presented Graf with a sheet of paper with 27 signatures from residents on the streets objecting to having sidewalks installed.
“We don’t want them and we don’t need them — this doesn’t seem fair at all,” said Rosengarten, who attended with her husband, Victor. “We are proud of the way our property looks now and we want to keep it that way.”
Wapakoneta 2nd Ward Councilor Dave Campbell, a committee member, explained the city is mandated by the state to ensure the safety of the children on public property.
“We are charged with working with you to put sidewalks in, and you have the right to come in and to state what you feel,” Campbell said. “We have jumped through the hoops and we have come this far. You say you don’t have the money right now, but you won’t get them any cheaper than you can right now.
“If you don’t want them that is up to you, and we have to rule on that and we can overrule that,” he said. “We have made exceptions in the past. If you can give us a good reason why we should make an exception then we will listen.”
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Last Updated ( Friday, 27 March 2009 )
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