City votes to ‘pay now’ rather than later
By Suzanne Werre
Editor
There was a lot of discussion about whether Underwood should go ahead with its proposed street improvement project after the total price of the project came in about $3.27 million (which includes engineering costs).
The commissioners eventually unanimously voted in favor of the project after City Auditor Diane Schell reminded them that the city’s residents aren’t going to footing the whole bill.
There is a little more than $300,000 available in Surge funds; there is coal severance money that can be used for the project, and some of the cost in the bid will be covered by the Underwood Park Board, as well as the Underwood School.
Schell and Commissioner Ethan Vaagene reminded the commissioners that part of the cost is for the pool parking lot (about $90,000), which will be covered by the park board, and another approximately $100,000 will be covered by the school with its driveway construction in the front of the school.
There is also the possibility of knocking another $60,000 off the cost if homeowners pour their own aprons.
The city’s residents would actually end up being responsible for about $2.5 million – not $3.3, which went over better with the commissioners.
