Denver approves road work bids
Three out of six action items for Denver council¡¯s June 12 meeting dealt with borough work slated for this summer.
Bids awarded include Rock Road Construction, Newmanstown, $16,940, for Denver¡¯s rain garden project on the borough lot behind the maintenance building. This project is part of Denver¡¯s stormwater management plan, known as MS4.
Lincoln Pavement Services, Denver, was awarded thermoplastic line marking work at $7,750. Denver started contracting with Lincoln Pavement in 2011 to apply the thermal markings on high traffic streets and intersections in the borough to avoid having to paint these areas annually.
¡°How many years does the thermoplastic line marking last?¡± asked resident Mike Cohick.
¡°About three to four years,¡± council Vice President Christopher Flory. ¡°On the most heavily traveled streets, like Main and South Fourth, it¡¯s three years.¡±
Four bids were received for the North Fifth Street reconstruction project. Low bidder was Unitex, Downingtown, with a $128,714.75 bid.
Denver council members also discussed dealing more proactively with property maintenance code issues.
Several council members discussed the length of time that elapses after a violation is noticed, when corrections do not occur, and any action, such as sending the issue to the district justice, happens.
¡°The borough has protocol in place,¡± said Mayor Rodney Redcay, ¡°and we need a stronger protocol.¡±
¡°Every time we hold a meeting on the future of the town, people request that we crack down on property maintenance violations,¡± said Councilman Mike Gensemer.
Mike Hession, borough manager, researched Danville¡¯s Quality of Life Ticketing Ordinance, which fines noncompliance of time-sensitive property issues affecting health and safety if the warning letter is not heeded.
¡°Many property maintenance issues are repeat offenders, year after year,¡± said Hession. ¡°I had one repeat offender call me and say his grass wasn¡¯t quite 10 inches tall, so why didn¡¯t the borough wait and then send him a letter?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯ll need to think carefully about an amount to use for a fine,¡± said Councilman Jason South. ¡°Someone could think that paying, say $20, wouldn¡¯t be a big deal, and choose to not mow his yard.¡±
¡°Denver¡¯s had 42 violation notices sent this year,¡± said Hession. ¡°Three property owners were sent to the district justice and received fines.¡±
Council agreed, moving forward, to draft a similar ordinance to help expedite dealing with property maintenance issues.
In other business:
Kinsley Construction notified the borough that preliminary work to relocate water and gas lines for the South Fourth Street bridge replacement project begins the week of June 19. This daytime work uses flaggers to reduce the two lanes to one. Around July 7, a traffic signal will be installed to allow northbound and southbound traffic to alternate through the work zone. The bridge reconstruction project extends until fall 2018.
Council supports the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks request to contact federal and state legislators to oppose bigger trucks. Concerns include motorist¡¯s safety, weakening of bridges, and road damage which will require more highway maintenance.
New ¡°Welcome to Denver¡± signs are to be installed during the week of June 12. Locations are the Main Street Bridge and North Sixth Street.
