Clifton approves $39,369 Streetscape payment; committee says Verizon should shoulder relocation costs

The Clifton Town Council approved an expenditure of $39,369.43 to pay a Verizon invoice tied to the Main Street Streetscape project and authorized Mayor Tom Peterson to sign if needed.

Councilmember Lynn Screen moved to approve the payment to Verizon; the motion passed by roll-call with all five members voting Aye. The vote followed Special Projects Committee recommendations and the committee's attached estimate.

Project managers Susan and Geri Yantis reported that a kick-off meeting on April 16 included CES (utility consultant), NOVEC and Verizon; CES provided an initial pathway design and Verizon proposed an initial relocation phase to remove copper from under the railroad tracks and install a manhole adjacent to the first pole in front of Peterson's Ice Cream. The Streetscape committee and CES indicated that, under VDOT project practice, utilities located in the right-of-way are typically responsible for relocation costs unless a franchise agreement specifies otherwise. The committee noted the town's Verizon franchise agreement is expired and that the prior agreement did not address relocation responsibility; the town has not yet received a response from Verizon.

The Streetscape update also reported completed stormwater calculations, a design change to a 4-inch curb at VDOT's request, and plans to submit revised engineering drawings to VDOT for site plan review by the end of May.

Committee managers said they will reconcile project expenditure records and provide a comprehensive summary of reimbursements, in-kind matches and allocations for public review as the project moves forward.