Post by Admin on May 17, 2018 8:15:11 GMT -7
Roads to Receive a Major Upgrade in 2018
The new 2017 Road Committee worked diligently to diagnose and present solutions to long standing road issues that plagued Glastonbury. Major road repairs were approved and funded by the GLA Board in 2017 and 2018. This year promises to be the best one ever for our platted road network. Scheduled work includes:
A few GLA Board members have voiced opposition to the road network being improved. Director Charlene Murphy has called for the Mag Chloride treatment to be withdrawn from the contract and the money to be set aside for chip sealing the failing asphalt road. The road engineer stated that "chip-sealing could not be done on top of a road with structural damage. Once the potholes, alligator cracks and such are fixed, and the ditches dug, chip-sealing could be done".
Director Regina Wunsch stated at the last GLA Board meeting that the finances were in a "precarious state" and no more money from unallocated funds should be spent on roads. The Forum reminds readers that all of the approved projects have already been fully funded by the GLA Board and will NOT require any money from "unallocated funds". We also urge Director Wunsch to address the "precarious" financial problems the GLA faces by presenting solutions to the Board via the committee she chairs. Taking money from roads is not a viable solution to the GLA's financial mismanagement problems. Long term debtors need to be foreclosed upon. Landowners newly behind in their assessments should be called and reminded that their payments are due, needed and that consequences will follow if payment is not received promptly. The archaic system of allowing landowners to pay quarterly without installment fees also needs to be reformed. Additionally the Legal Committee needs to develop an aggressive plan of attack to end current lawsuits and discourage future lawsuits.
- New ditches will be cut along North Glastonbury paved roads in the platted network. The ditches will help to drain the subsurface of the road, keeping it dryer and allowing the fragile asphalt covering to last longer. Originally scheduled for fall 2017 an early winter pushed the work date up to May 2018.
- North Glastonbury platted gravel roads will receive fresh ditching, fresh gravel and grading. The gravel portion of Capricorn that often floods is scheduled to have the roadbed raised for better drainage. An engineer was brought in to study and make recommendations for water issues on Venus, Capricorn and Gemini. Those recommendations will be rolled into a work order and hopefully presented to the GLA Board at their June meeting for approval and funding.
- The full length of Taurus is scheduled for grading, ditching and mag chloride treatment. Mag chloride will harden the road, make it more impervious to water and provide a smoother and longer wearing driving surface. Mag chloride is also scheduled for Capricorn gravel once that road 's water issues are solved.
- South Glastonbury roads are also in for a major overhaul. Arcturus will be narrowed to the county standard of 24 feet and new ditches will be installed. Then mag chloride will be applied from Arcturus Hill to Dry Creek Road.
- Hercules Road is scheduled to receive fresh gravel and grading. Then 2,500 feet of road from Dry Creek to Suicide Curve will be treated with mag chloride.
- Many other gravel roads in South Glastonbury will receive fresh gravel and grading including several that have not seen maintenance in 10 years or more.
- The flood damaged portions of Hercules will be addressed with a work order that will be presented to the Board at or before their June meeting.
- The GLA Board has approved multiple work orders and fully funded them. Standish Excavation is the designated contractor and he states that he is ready to get started immediately. GLA Board President and Road Committee Chair Dennis Riley will meet soon with Standish and give the order to start work.
A few GLA Board members have voiced opposition to the road network being improved. Director Charlene Murphy has called for the Mag Chloride treatment to be withdrawn from the contract and the money to be set aside for chip sealing the failing asphalt road. The road engineer stated that "chip-sealing could not be done on top of a road with structural damage. Once the potholes, alligator cracks and such are fixed, and the ditches dug, chip-sealing could be done".
Director Regina Wunsch stated at the last GLA Board meeting that the finances were in a "precarious state" and no more money from unallocated funds should be spent on roads. The Forum reminds readers that all of the approved projects have already been fully funded by the GLA Board and will NOT require any money from "unallocated funds". We also urge Director Wunsch to address the "precarious" financial problems the GLA faces by presenting solutions to the Board via the committee she chairs. Taking money from roads is not a viable solution to the GLA's financial mismanagement problems. Long term debtors need to be foreclosed upon. Landowners newly behind in their assessments should be called and reminded that their payments are due, needed and that consequences will follow if payment is not received promptly. The archaic system of allowing landowners to pay quarterly without installment fees also needs to be reformed. Additionally the Legal Committee needs to develop an aggressive plan of attack to end current lawsuits and discourage future lawsuits.
Long standing Road Committee member Walter Wunsch has also voiced opposition to plans and funding the GLA Board has already approved. Walter Wunsch has requested that scheduled work for Arcturus be halted and that the funds applied to repairs in High South on Hercules. Road Committee member Tim Brockett stated that "all landowners must be treated equally and that denying service to neighbors in Low South would be discrimination". For years High South was denied service and some current candidates are suggesting that the practice be resumed.
The Forum has analyzed GLA Finances and not found them to be anywhere near "precarious". The Rakela lawsuit has burned through almost $14,000.00 in landowner funds since November 2017. That averages to about $2,000.00 a month. Currently the GLA has over $50,000.00 stashed in the bank; $30,000.00 in the legal fund and over $20,000.00 in unallacated funds. Legal bills are current and the 2018 budget is fully balanced. About $70,000.00 more is expected to come in from remaining 2018 landowner assessment payments by October 31st.
The new 2017 Road Committee will be dissolving soon. Committee membership and chairs change after every annual election and our 2017 rescheduled election will happen in June 2018. The next Road Committee will serve for just a few months until the regularly scheduled 2018 November annual election takes place.
It is the Forum's opinion that the 2017 Road Committee did a fine job of analyzing our road problems and devising long term solutions. The Board funded many projects and hopefully they will allow all projects to proceed so landowners can enjoy much improved roads and increased property values.
It is the Forum's opinion that the 2017 Road Committee did a fine job of analyzing our road problems and devising long term solutions. The Board funded many projects and hopefully they will allow all projects to proceed so landowners can enjoy much improved roads and increased property values.