Commission authorizes downtown vault‑closure contract after staff report; vote 5-0

The Goshen Redevelopment Commission on Sept. 9 authorized staff to execute a contract to begin filling and closing downtown sidewalk vaults, following a walk‑in presentation from Dustin Sailor, director of public works utilities. The vote was 5-0.

Sailor told the commission redevelopment has funding budgeted for closures within the downtown business district and that at least three vaults are under administrative action and ready for closure. He said the city’s policy is that when a property owner builds an interior separating wall and separates their building from a vault that lies within the public right‑of‑way, the vault space becomes city property and the city will fill the vault and place a new sidewalk over it. Sailor said staff plans to secure a contractor for at least a year to address additional vaults that may be identified and that they are working with the building department on inspections and have added tracking in GIS.

Sailor provided rough cost estimates during the discussion. On the record he said: “rough estimates of put in there for 300 or $100,000,” and later said he estimated up to “300 to 200 feet linear feet of vault length” while adding the first three vaults would take approximately 50 to 60 feet of linear filling. Sailor said Parking Lot Q north of Clinton Street — a large vault recently managed in‑house by city crews and addressed by Veil City — is also being repaired and paved, and that the city may contribute redevelopment funds toward that downtown parking lot work. The commission authorized redevelopment director Becky Hetzel to sign an agreement with the contractor once it is received from the contractor and Goshen Legal.

Staff said they will provide a more detailed spreadsheet with counts and cost estimates at next month’s meeting. The commission recorded the motion as passed 5 to 0.