VILLAGE OF LA FARGE
Main Street Planning Committee Meeting
The Village of La Farge Main Street Planning Committee will meet Wednesday, January 6, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services Building, located at 201 S. Cherry Street, La Farge.
All participants, including the public, can join using the Zoom option: https://zoom.us/j/98104132799
Meeting ID: 981 0413 2799
Any questions, please call 608-625-4422
Agenda:
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Call to Order, Roll Call
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Verification of meeting posting
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Review of preliminary plans for the Main Street project and recommendation to the Village Board
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Recommendation for a street lighting engineer
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Adjournment
Kimberly Walker, Village Clerk/Treasurer
Posted 1/05/2021
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VILLAGE OF LA FARGE
Main Street Planning Committee Meeting
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
*Village President Cheryl Purvis called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. at the Emergency Services building. (Meeting was posted for participants to join using Zoom or attending in person).
1). Roll Call - Present at the meeting:
Members: Deb Nelson, Nick Burnard, Margaret Becker (Zoom), and Kathy Appleman (Zoom).
Members Absent: Reggie Nelson.
Also present: Gary Koch with Community Development Alternatives, Public Works Manager Wayne Haugrud, Village President Cheryl Purvis, Bart Nies and Mark Digman form Delta 3 Engineering (Zoom), Utility Clerk Greg Lawton, and Clerk Kimberly Walker.
2). Verification of posting at the Bank, Post Office, and Village office on January 5, 2021 was given.
3). Bart Nies from Delta 3 opened a presentation on preliminary plans for the Main Street project. Delta 3 has been working with Wayne Haugrud, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) and Gary Koch on finalizing the scope of the project as well as the costs. Mark Digman gave an extensive update on the project, first noting the project would affect Main Street from the Kickapoo River to Maple Street. The hope would be to go out for bids by March, or the first of April with construction beginning as soon as possible thereafter. The construction is projected at 20 weeks in length and there would be advance notice for businesses and those affected by stages of the project. Once a contractor is chosen there would be a public meeting for the contractor to meet with the businesses to share information.
An engineer needs to be hired by the Village Board at their upcoming meeting to design street lighting. The utilities such as phone and gas that may be in the way of the new storm sewer may have to be moved at the time of construction. The main construction will take place in the parking lanes and sidewalks, curb and gutter will all be replaced. Close coordination between the Village and the contractor will occur to support the businesses in communication of each stage of the project.
Mark Digman gave a detailed overview of the specifics of each component. The sanitary sewer will be on the south side of the street from Mill Street to Maple Street. From Mill to Silver will be 8 inch, Silver to Bird will be 10 inch (replacing 12 inch) and 8 inch the rest of the way to Maple Street. The water main lines are now 6 inch and 8 inch within the stretch the project is occurring in and will be replaced with all 8 inch mains. They are currently on the south side of the street and will move to the north side. The movement of water and sewer from one side of the street to the other will accommodate more efficient replacement during the construction. The storm sewer will be updated to all 30 inch with 16 basins throughout the project to support water runoff. Nick Burnard raised concern in the area of the Senior Citizen’s building where water comes off the roof and freezes in the winter on the sidewalk. If any alternatives were to be explored for tying into the storm sewer the building would need some modifications, and Nick thought that might not be feasible with their funds. The storm sewer construction would require a 30 inch line through Organic Valley property near the retail store as the old line cannot be located, and an easement would be needed. The contractor would repair the lawn from any digging to the pre-construction state.
The width of Main Street now varies from block to block and the construction would bring the width to 50 feet from Mill to Maple Street. The middle strip would be reconstructed when the DOT comes through in 2023 so for this project, the parking lanes would be reconstructed as well as any repairs in intersections. The width of the street will allow for a bike lane, travel lanes and parking lanes. Cheryl Purvis reported that LAPA was looking at possibly donating some bike racks and that she would check with them to verify. The benches and other items currently on Main Street would need to move before construction and it was suggested the Village handle that responsibility. Kathy Appleman raised the question of whether the poles for the banner on Main Street would be reinstalled. Nick Burnard requested the posts for the banner which were installed previously be moved and he would send that request to the Village to consider.
Costs for the project are currently projected at 1,748,000 and this includes engineering by Delta 3. The electrical engineering and street lighting is likely 250,000 which would bring the project total to 2,000,000. CDBG funds can conver 1,000,000 and the remaining could be from a variety of options including TIF funds, grant money from the DNR safe drinking fund or a low interest loan from the DNR clean water fund if the Village were eligible. It was noted there are several projects the Village is interested in, including the substation relocation and the timing of the use of funds is key. Bart Nies suggested he come to meet with Cheryl Purvis, Wayne Haugrud, Gary Koch and the Village and Utility Clerk to work on planning this part. Delta 3 is confident the project estimates are close, but could be less depending on actual bids, but it is only an estimate at this time.
Discussion occurred on whether this committee needs to meet again before the final plans to go the Village Board. The committee felt it would not be necessary, and Bart Nies explained the main changes would be elevations.
4). Recommendation for a street lighting engineer discussion was not able to be had as the Zoom meeting members disbanded, thus not leaving a quorum of the committee.
5). Nick Burnard moved, Deb Nelson seconded to adjourn. (Carried). Adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
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Greg Lawton, Utility Clerk