The City Council Finance Committee discussed a resolution on July 22 to file an application with the Commonwealth (CFA) for up to $300,000 to install retractable bollards on West Fourth Street to support event closures such as First Friday.

Melanie Shut of the Community Development Office said the grant application would seek up to $300,000 for “retractable bollards that will be used for events such as First Friday.” Councilor Liz Meeley said she supports applying but raised concerns about product longevity after preliminary online research. “My fear is always for the city that it's terrific if we can get a grant to implement something, but if it fails 5 or 8 years down the road and cost us a $100,000 to repair, then we're not really further ahead than we were,” Meeley said.

Bonnie Katz asked whether the county has comparable bollards in place; committee members noted the county’s bollards appear to have been in place for years without frequent removal. Shut said the models under consideration include a lid and lock and that she would follow up with Streets & Parks staff to get details from the vendor and on any seals intended to prevent water intrusion.

Committee members also discussed alternative or “hybrid” solutions, such as fixtures that accept removable bollards, that might reduce long-term maintenance. Shut confirmed the CFA multimodal grant requires no local match and that $300,000 is anticipated to fully fund the project. She also noted the city has a Safe Streets for All planning grant aimed at pedestrian safety that will support grant applications for crosswalks and related improvements.

The committee requested additional vendor references, durability data, and comparisons with neighboring jurisdictions before taking formal action; no formal vote was recorded in the committee meeting.