Council gets input on road project

There were about a dozen Lenox residents present at the council meeting on Tuesday, May 26 to learn more about a proposed road project.
Allison Kitzman, city administrator, gave a presentation on total cost to asphalt all gravel roads in the city limits. Total cost is approximately $1,248,000. She then presented estimated costs for each road and said the costs could be higher if they do only part of the project. Prices for each gravel road:
-N. Allen (Van Buren to Michigan) – $83,876.
-W. Nebraska (Allen to Layne)- $148,720
-N. Oak (Van Buren to Ohio) – $174,408
-E. Michigan (Oak to Locust) – $56,420
-N. Birch (Van Buren to Temple) – $282,932
-Westwind Drive (Lakeshore Dr to Dead End) – $491,712.00
These prices are based on doing all the streets; if some streets are done, the per unit price could increase.
Kitzman gave approximate property tax levies on a $1.3 million with a 4.75% variable interest rate every five years. The tax levy on a 15-year note would be $2.471299 per $1,000 valuation with an annual payment of $148,417.00. A 20-year note would have tax levy of $2.110521 per $1,000 valuation and an annual payment of $126,750.00.
The council is not in favor of using special assessments to those who live on those roads to pay for the project; they were in favor of all taxpayers responsible for the project.
She added that the council has the option to do one road, several roads, all roads or no roads. Street repairs or construction does not require a vote of the people; council can approve it. A financial analysis has not been done yet.