Iola officials will take advantage of low oil prices while they can and do a bit more street work in 2016 than originally planned.
City Council members, in a special meeting Monday, approved more than $383,000 worth of mill-and-overlay projects this spring.
Crews will resurface South Kentucky and South State streets as well as portions of Kansas Drive, Willow Drive, East Carpenter Street and the streets along Melody Acres in northeast Iola.
The Melody Acres portion was added, Street and Alley Superintendent Dan Leslie said, because costs are substantially lower than originally expected.
Council members approved a contract with SE-Kan Asphalt Services for $313,34.20, which was the lower of two bids by a significant margin. Leslie said the competing bid from APAC-Kansas, Inc., of Emporia was higher by about $119,000 because APAC likely would transport in asphalt from elsewhere.
Adding the Melody Acres portion tacks on another $70,375 to the project, Leslie explained.
When planners mapped out Iola’s mill and overlay projects in advance, they estimated the cost at more than $497,000.
In addition to the city funds, Iola will utilize more than $147,000 from a federal funds exchange program through the Kansas Department of Transportation.
Along with the mill and overlay work, Leslie said crews likely will target potholes and other damaged roads with “hot mix” patching along other streets.
City crews will likely work alongside, Leslie said.
Depending on when SE-Kan does the work — Leslie hopes the projects are complete before SE-Kan heads to Oklahoma soon for other projects — the patchwork may interfere with the city’s bi-annual Cleanup Week, scheduled April 4-8.
In other actions, the Council accepted the resignation of Kara Godfrey as administrative assistant at City Hall, effective May 20.
Council members took no other action following a 10-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel.
The Council will meet again for its regular session next Monday at 6 p.m. at the New Community Building at Riverside Park.
