Community Corner
Update: Trustees Confirm Kremer Project Moving Forward as Planned
Work in the Kremer subdivision will continue as planned. There will be a public hearing about the special assessment once the true costs of the project are known.
**Updated 8 p.m.
Caledonia trustees met Tuesday to discuss whether or not changes for planned roadwork in the Kremer subdivision would be possible to take residents' concerns into account.
But, perhaps not unexpectedly, trustees voted unanimously to continue the work as planned.
Tuesday's meeting was scheduled after the June 3 board meeting when Jason Walker, who lives on Ellis Avenue, asked the board why they continued to support the full scope of a project that will make his neighborhood look markedly different from others in the village.
"Over two-thirds of the board live in neighborhoods with reasonable road widths that stick with the flavor of the village," he said after reading off the widths of several streets where trustees live. "This road shouldn’t be 31-1/2 feet wide, and I’m not the only one in my way of thinking. Are you getting the picture yet?"
Walter Pelke lives on Ellis and has maintained that curb and gutter is unnecessary and adds too much cost. State codes for ditches, however, are much more stringent now than they were when Kremer was developed and would require a lot more property frontage than is already being taken for the project as designed.
Before the meeting even got fully underway, President Bob Bradley told the audience of about 15 that he had reviewed the situation thoroughly and felt everything was up to snuff.
"Some people feel that the board acted without listening to residents," he said. "I've looked this whole thing over thoroughly, and my opinion is that all decisions were made correctly and according to village ordinance. Changing anything now could prove too costly."
"When the final assessment is decided by the village board - and they haven’t decided - it’s based on the village’s cost so it would be the actual cost of the road or best estimate at the time of assessment," Village Administrator Mark Janiuk explained. "But there are factors that can impact the total cost of the project."
One of those factors is liquidated damages on the part of the contractor that increases costs, scope or the timeline of the project at about $1,000 per day. These charges could reduce the price of the project, which decreases any potential assessment.Â
Village Engineer Tony Bunkelman said the potential assessment is estimated at about $6,490. Bradley told Patch after the meeting he remains committed to finding every possible way to limit the financial impact on Kremer residents.
"I understand where they're coming from, and I want to be sure the village is doing all it can to fund this project without putting too much on the property owners," he said.
"There is a real lack of justification for this project," she said. "The time when people spoke up and they weren’t listened to is unfortunate."    Â
Trustee Kevin Wanggaard told Patch after the meeting that work in Kremer has been proposed twice before in the last 20 years and this time - the third proposal - is the first time the village has decided to move forward.
"And now it's three times as costly," he noted. "I hear where the residents are coming from, but the village board has to act on what's best for the village now and in the future."
Doing the project now, with all utilities involved, actually saves the village money, Wanggaard added, because paving and repaving roads for utility work adds up.
State statute dictates a public hearing before the village levies any assessments for the Kremer work, but that would be scheduled until the true costs of the project are known.
Caledonia trustees met Tuesday to discuss whether or not changes for planned roadwork in the Kremer subdivision would be possible to take residents' concerns into account.
But, perhaps not unexpectedly, trustees voted unanimously to continue the work as planned.
Tuesday's meeting was scheduled after the June 3 board meeting when Jason Walker, who lives on Ellis Avenue, asked the board why they continued to support the full scope of a project that will make his neighborhood look markedly different from others in the village.
"Over two-thirds of the board live in neighborhoods with reasonable road widths that stick with the flavor of the village," he said after reading off the widths of several streets where trustees live. "This road shouldn’t be 31-1/2 feet wide, and I’m not the only one in my way of thinking. Are you getting the picture yet?"
The cost of change
A representative from Foth, engineers on the project, said any re-design will cost about $50,000 just in their fees. Add on legitimate change-order and damages fees from the contractor and the costs skyrocket even further.Walter Pelke lives on Ellis and has maintained that curb and gutter is unnecessary and adds too much cost. State codes for ditches, however, are much more stringent now than they were when Kremer was developed and would require a lot more property frontage than is already being taken for the project as designed.
Before the meeting even got fully underway, President Bob Bradley told the audience of about 15 that he had reviewed the situation thoroughly and felt everything was up to snuff.
"Some people feel that the board acted without listening to residents," he said. "I've looked this whole thing over thoroughly, and my opinion is that all decisions were made correctly and according to village ordinance. Changing anything now could prove too costly."
How much will residents pay?
Pelke has opposed any work on roadways beyond returning streets to their present layout after the sewer and water work is done. He asked about the special assessment each property owner will be levied."When the final assessment is decided by the village board - and they haven’t decided - it’s based on the village’s cost so it would be the actual cost of the road or best estimate at the time of assessment," Village Administrator Mark Janiuk explained. "But there are factors that can impact the total cost of the project."
One of those factors is liquidated damages on the part of the contractor that increases costs, scope or the timeline of the project at about $1,000 per day. These charges could reduce the price of the project, which decreases any potential assessment.Â
Village Engineer Tony Bunkelman said the potential assessment is estimated at about $6,490. Bradley told Patch after the meeting he remains committed to finding every possible way to limit the financial impact on Kremer residents.
"I understand where they're coming from, and I want to be sure the village is doing all it can to fund this project without putting too much on the property owners," he said.
Too much too lateÂ
Elizabeth Ashley asked why trustees were even discussing these issues because apparently the time for talk has passed."There is a real lack of justification for this project," she said. "The time when people spoke up and they weren’t listened to is unfortunate."    Â
Trustee Kevin Wanggaard told Patch after the meeting that work in Kremer has been proposed twice before in the last 20 years and this time - the third proposal - is the first time the village has decided to move forward.
"And now it's three times as costly," he noted. "I hear where the residents are coming from, but the village board has to act on what's best for the village now and in the future."
Doing the project now, with all utilities involved, actually saves the village money, Wanggaard added, because paving and repaving roads for utility work adds up.
State statute dictates a public hearing before the village levies any assessments for the Kremer work, but that would be scheduled until the true costs of the project are known.
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