Ashtabula Main Avenue improvement project moving forward
Feb. 5—ASHTABULA — The city's Main Avenue streetscaping project took a step forward Monday night, with city council approving an ordinance for design engineering services from GPD Group for the project.
City Manager Jim Timonere said at a pre-council work session the project involves sidewalk repair, some curb work, and possibly planters and trees.
"We're finally starting to get ready to roll on the Main Avenue project, and putting the final details together on the facade program," he said.
The city received $1.6 million in funds from the Appalachian Community Grant Program for the project.
About $900,000 of the grant funds will go into sidewalks and streetscape, $500,000 will be allocated to facade improvements on the street, and the remaining money will go to a pocket park project on Main Avenue, Timonere said.
Timonere said the first priority will be making sure the sidewalks are repaired and replaced, and the second-highest priority will be installing conduit under the sidewalk to bury cables and power lines. Streetscaping and lighting are the third and fourth priorities, he said.
The streetscape project will run from West 44th Street to the railroad tracks.
Ward 2 council person Terence Guerriero asked how often the city bids out its engineering services.
Timonere said the city puts out a request for proposals every two years.
Ward 3 council person RoLesia Holman asked if the city gets any consideration from the group because the volume of work the city does with them.
Timonere said he believes the city gets good rates from them, and an engineer recommended for the project submitted a bid higher than the one from GPD Group.
Council President John Roskovics asked if there would be challenges from repairing to the sidewalks and demolishing the old Ashtabula Municipal Building at the intersection of Main Avenue and West 44th Street at the same time.
Timonere said the building will not be torn down this year.
Roskovics asked if moving the sign from the old municipal building to the new municipal building, and Timonere said he hopes to do so, but it will not be done with funds from the Appalachian Community Grant Program.
He said no matter what happens to the old municipal building, the sign will be preserved.
Timonere wants to have sidewalk improvements done by the end of the summer.
"What I want to do is get us out of the way, so that, if there are other facade programs that take a little bit more to do and are a little bit more expensive, we're out of the way with the sidewalks, and the sidewalks are done, so that people can work on their storefronts," he said.
Timonere said he would like to see it bid and ready to go by June or July, but it would require coordination with business owners on Main Avenue.
Ward 1 council person Kym Foglio asked if there is a chance the grant funds could be withdrawn because of President Donald Trump's new administration.
Timonere said that has been the concern, and the funds for the grant are from the American Rescue Plan Act money.
"When you saw the pause happen on all federal spending, this was part of it, so we were all kind of like, 'What's going to happen here?'" he said.
Planning costs for the project are included in the grant.
Roskovics said he contacted Congressman David Joyce's office, expressing concern about Trump's freeze on federal funding.
Holman asked if there is anything council could do collectively to express their concern.
City Solicitor Cecilia Cooper said council could pass a resolution to that effect.
The Council honored Brenda Sanders following her retirement as executive assistant to the city manager.
Timonere said Sanders means a lot to everyone in the city.
Sanders was presented a resolution from city council.
Timonere said Sanders did her job with dignity and grace.
"I would not be where I am today without her guidance, so I very much appreciate it," Timonere said.
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