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Follansbee mulls paving, Parkview water problem

FOLLANSBEE — City Council members on Monday agreed to advertise for a contractor for street paving after suggesting several streets they believe should be paved and further discussed excess water on two Parkview streets.

Council agreed earlier that Marquette Avenue should be paved, saying it’s not been resurfaced in at least 10 years.

City Manager John DeStefano asked council members to suggest other streets in their wards in need of paving, while noting it’s likely the city can afford to do only a few others.

Council’s suggestions included the 700, 900 and 1000 blocks of Virginia Avenue, Highland Hills Drive from Kilkenny Drive to Shannon Boulevard, Highland Street, Lower Walnut Street and Raspberry and Strawberry alleys.

Both 3rd Ward Councilwoman Kathy Santoro and 5th Ward Councilman Scott McMahon pushed for certain areas to be patched if they can’t be re-paved.

Plans call for the city to seek separate bids for several streets, then select those that fall within budget and are seen as in the most need of attention.

DeStefano confirmed for 4th Ward Councilman Rudy Cipriani that $230,000 has been allocated for the paving, with $150,000 of that coming from the city’s newly adopted 1 percent sales tax.

In other matters, the city manager told council engineering consultant Paul Ghosh has found excess water on Terika and Scenic drives in Parkview exists near shut-off valves for water lines to homes there.

The observation has led city officials to consider uncovering at least one line to determine if it’s the source. There had been some discussion of whether the water emanated from an underground spring.

The water has resulted in the yard of at least one residence being flooded and street crews have been required to salt the streets often in winter.

In other business, council:

• Heard from Shane Misch and Tony Taibi of the Follansbee Softball Association, who asked council to support new fencing for the softball field, repairs to the roof of the indoor batting cage and other improvements. In response to issues with the field’s surface, DeStefano advised he will arrange for S&S Processing, a ballfield landscaper, to visit the site.

• Heard from Rich Goodman, a resident of the city’s south end, who expressed concern about plans by City Police to ticket vehicles parked on sidewalks. City Police Chief John Schwertfeger said earlier that vehicles on the south end of state Route 2 had been parked on the edges of the walks to prevent them from being struck by passing vehicles. Goodman said he and other residents there have spent hundreds of dollars to replace mirrors, including folding ones, that have been knocked off by passing trucks.

“They come through at a pretty good clip sometimes,” he said.

Goodman said he understood the concern about vehicles blocking sidewalks but encouraged city officials to find a solution to parked vehicles being hit.

Mayor David Velegol Jr. agreed to look into it.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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