Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Above is the design concept for the underpass. From above left, the aerial concept shows the proposed changes to the approach from both north and south including native grasses, renovated retaining walls and new seating walls; from top right, the concept from the north, including a sign welcoming travelers to Kimball, new lighting, smooth sidewalks and repaired railing; from center right, the concept from the south, including a paved plaza with seating and interpretive signage; bottom right, a cross section diagrams of the structure.
Mayor's have come and gone, council members and city administrators too, but the underpass renovation project remains. The underpass renovation project has been discussed in Kimball for more than 15 years, and in all that time the one thing that has not changed – the underpass.
After receiving word that the City of Kimball's share for the long awaited underpass renovation, 20 percent of the total project cost, has doubled, City Council addressed the issue once again at the recent council meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 11.
Cost to the City was estimated last month to be $495,706, up from the budgeted amount of $240,000 in 2014.
The project is part of a federal ten-year project with federal funding. One important note is that if the project is not let out for bids before the end of 2018, those funds will expire and the Federal High Way Administration will seek repayment of federal funds to the tune of $236,000, according to a reply from Judy Borer, Nebraska Department of Transportation Project Coordinator.
The majority of the funds earmarked for the project are tied up in a Certificate of Deposit, totaling $356,004.38 currently, but that CD will not mature until June 2019 and even then, the total does not reach the required amount.
City Administrator Dan Dean estimates, conservatively, that annual Keno revenue is $40,000, and if that holds true, the City will have the necessary funds to pay for its share of the project by January 2021.
After reviewing the matter with Kathy Peterson from the State Controller's Office, the City received an offer to complete the payment of the project over a three year period.
"The state has offered us an easy payment plan, if you will," Dan Dean said. "It makes it doable."
As for the look of the underpass, in 2015 citizens had the opportunity to choose a favorite design out of four options, and in September of that the council voted to approve the least expensive of those choices.
All of the design concepts retained a vast majority of the stone, meeting the Historical Preservation Office's criteria, as the underpass is considered a historically significant structure.
In September 2015 the project was anticipated to be complete by 2017.
"It is an ungodly amount of money. Could we use that money other places? Probably. But this isn't going to get any less expensive and something has to be done to it," council member Kim Baliman said.
Residents have expressed the desire to complete this project since the early 2000s. Former council member John Morrison weighed in at the meeting in favor of completing this project.
"We haven't finished anything in this town in 16 years, a project like that," Morrison said. "It should have been finished the first time around."
He added that the Keno funds are a gift, not tax money, and that it has to be used at some point, for something. He urged council not to drop this ball one more time, but to get the job finished.
"The public has expressed interest in this for 16 years, I think we have to move forward even though I hate the thought of wiping that CD out and spending that much money," Baliman added.
Council member Christy Warner agreed that the City has to be committed to the project, particularly in light of the other projects that have been considered and ultimately terminated.
"It has been a long time coming and given the history of some of the projects that have never come to fruition, I think it is important that we do it," Warner said. "It is a dangerous cost, because to wipe that CD out is very dangerous. Could it work? Absolutely, but what happens if it is more? We are going to wipe out our CD just to come up with this."
Dean said that if bids come in much higher than the recent estimates there will have to be additional discussion.
"This community deserves to have faith in something," Baliman said. "And for that entrance to look better."
Council ultimately approved the preliminary plans, specifications and estimates as well as the supplemental agreement with the State of Nebraska Department of Transportation for the project.
