CLEARFIELD – Last night, the Clearfield Borough Council opened bids for the proposed Daisy Street paving project.
Bids received included: Glenn O. Hawbaker – $96,792.60; HRI Inc. – $102,520; Jefferson – $98,645.34; and New Enterprise Inc. – $86,669.16. Bids are much higher than Engineer Todd Banks’ previously estimated cost of $63,000.
Borough Operations Manager Leslie Stott said the bids will be reviewed by borough engineer, Stiffler, McGraw and Associates Inc. and awarded at the regular meeting next week. It was noted the street crew will begin work on storm drains and curbing on Daisy Street next week in preparation for paving.
Stott said she had bids for tar and chip paving projects that are under threshold for sealed bids, and will be reviewed for award for next meeting, also.
Councilman James Kling asked if Clearfield Municipal Authority had been made aware of the paving project. He said they have six to eight weeks before paving starts, and CMA needs to correct the settling problems from previous sewage service work.
Stott said she’d contacted Kevin Shifter at CMA who said he’ll have their contractor contact Borough Street Manager Fred Long regarding sites needing attention. Kling suggested an independent inspector be on site for municipal projects to ensure jobs are done right.
Code Enforcement Officer Larry Mack reported the property at 3055 Park Place, the former CVS Pharmacy, qualifies for Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act of Pennsylvania. Mack explained LERTA allows qualified applicants to pay a base rate of property taxes on blighted property slated for improvement. After improvements are completed, the new assessment is gradually added to the tax base in 10 percent increments over 10 years.
The Park Place site will be the location of Buck’s Pizza. Mack said building plans for the project include major renovations with all new wiring and plumbing. Council will vote on the LERTA application at its next meeting.
Council discussed at length ongoing issues with Stinky Run, a small stream that drains under Woodland Road near 11th Street. Stott noted a truck from Lansberry Trucking was stuck in a sinkhole from the stream’s undermining earlier this week.
Kling said there’s been so much disaster from that area. He said, “…25 years of meetings and issues, and we aren’t one inch closer to getting that mess cleared up than the day we started.”
Stott noted Banks is working on CDBG funding for mitigation of the run, which will be advertised for bid soon.
Stott also reported on the Acid Mine Drainage reclamation project on East Fifth Street. She noted this has been a seven-year project requiring significant reclamation. She said the house on the site is being removed, and there’ll never be a house on that lot again.
Stott reported costs for roughly 800 feet of guardrails on Apple and Orchard streets will be nearly $15,000. Council discussed options, from finding used guardrails to placing caution signs.
It was reported that milling paving was completed on Hill Street. Council reviewed other roads needing work, including repairs to Finch Avenue, stabilizing Duke Street and Acorn Alley from stormwater runoff onto East Fourth and Daisy streets and Clearfield Street at West Fifth Street.
