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Residents oppose driveway assessments on SR 274 curb project; council explains bid constraints
Summary
Eleven residents petitioned the New Bremen Village Council against assessments for driveway approaches tied to the SR 274 curb reconstruction. Village Administrator Richter said the project was bid to include new approaches, that omitting them would require reengineering and higher costs, and that assessments reflect the bid with a 25% credit for approaches.
Council members on June 12 reviewed a petition from 11 residents opposing assessments for driveway approaches connected to the planned SR 274 curb replacement and reconstruction.
Resident Chris Long raised the objection, saying the village would be tearing out approaches that are not broken and are functioning. ""Richter said the project as bid includes new approaches and that leaving old approaches in place would require reengineering, increase manual labor, prevent use of automated equipment and raise costs."" Village Administrator Richter explained that the curb work and new approaches were included in the bid package to ensure the new curb connections are structurally compatible and to allow the contractor to use mechanized equipment. Richter added that new approaches will carry a 12-month warranty, that residents will be assessed based on the bid price, and that a 25% credit will be applied for approaches.
Richter also said final assessments will be calculated and mailed after the project is complete. The project is scheduled to begin after July 4; during daytime work there will be one lane of traffic open and two lanes in the evening. Richter noted that if approaches are not replaced the village would need to reengineer the work and that any future repairs to old approaches would be the full responsibility of the homeowner.
The petitioner’s concern centers on preserving existing driveway surfaces; council members framed the decision as balancing construction efficiency and long-term maintenance risk. No formal vote on changing the scope was recorded in the meeting; the council proceeded with planning based on the bid terms discussed at the session.
The discussion followed reports earlier in the meeting that Choice One Engineering is finalizing assessments and bid advertisement dates for Plum Street reconstruction and that Fenson Contracting is planning to begin the SR 274 waterline project the week of July 10.
