Port Orange Making Plans To Re-Start Road Maintenance
Port Orange, FL – The city of Port Orange is working on plans to re-start basic maintenance and repairs on all city-owned roads.
By a unanimous vote at Tuesday night’s Port Orange City Council meeting, all 5 members ordered city staff to come to them within 90 days with a detailed strategic plan for routine maintenance and repair for all 316 miles of roads and bridges that the city is responsible for.
That number does not include Interstate 95 or any county-owned or privately-owned roads.
The motion was made by District 1′s Bob Ford at the beginning of the meeting during his comment time.
Ford said he was worried because he just recently found out that the city hasn’t been spending the money they’ve been salting away for road maintenance on actual road maintenance.
“For a number of years, I’ve been concerned,” Ford stated. “Port Orange is maturing, and that’s a better word than aging, right?”
Ford added that part of his district are already in need of road repairs and he’s afraid it’ll get more expensive to do if the city keeps stalling.
That same sentiment was echoed by District 4′s Dennis Kennedy.
“I agree that we need to get something done,” Kennedy stated. “We all know that, as you let [the roads] get away from you, it gets a lot more expensive very quickly.”
Ford noted in the meeting that the city’s put aside $500,000 or so a year for the last few years just for road maintenance.
City Manager Greg Kisela said they didn’t spend any money last year due to issues with the Yorktowne Boulevard extension but they were working on a plan to get that going for this year.
The strategic plan would include any scheduled improvements to utility lines or anything else that could impact road improvements.
Ford also said he wanted that plan done by staff, not consultants, as has been the case with other city projects recently.
via Port Orange Making Plans To Re-Start Road Maintenance
Councilman Bob Ford should be given clear credit for having re-established a ‘roads re-paving plan’ in Port Orange.
Others who should receive an honorable mention in this endeavor are our former Public Works Director Warren Pike who as subsequent events have revealed was UN-wisely fired, AND Newton White candidate for City Council zone 4 who will make an excellent Councilman when he is elected.
Manager Kisela and his Public Works director Mary Anderson would likely find their talents better suited to a community that does not present the challenge of maintaining paved roads.