Say good-bye to Washburn's potholes and uneven streets
By Danielle Abbott
It was standing room only for Monday night’s Washburn City Commission meeting. The much-anticipated meeting once again addressed the upcoming sewer, water and street projects. As residents, homeowners and concerned citizens made their way to the city office, the meeting went under way as Mayor Elmer Miller notified the crowd that this meeting was not intended to be an open forum. Holding to the commissioners’ plan, no residents were given the opportunity to speak, and when one member of the audience attempted to address the commissioners, Miller responded that no voices were to be heard at this time. The initial step for the street project on Monday’s agenda was to review and clarify any and all finalized petitions for the three street projects. Water and sewer project 2009-01 was not up for petition and was not discussed at this time. The commissioners first addressed street project 2009-01, which affects the Sixth Avenue and Seventh Street area. In all formalities, city auditor Milissa Price stated that though petitions were received for this project, the protests did not meet the 50 percent required to overturn the project. Fourteen percent of the affected 2009-01 area protested, and the project was then open for bidding. Commissioner Mark Lelm made the motion to approve the bidding of street project 2009-01, which was seconded by commissioner Kim Klaudt. The remaining commissioner Ray Hager and Miller both voted in favor of continuing on with street project 2009-01. The commissioners then began discussing street project 2009-02 which affects the Sundown Addition. This project received 44 percent in written protests and fell short of overturning the project.
