With Brookfield voters having approved a road levy on Nov. 8, township officials’ initial shock and glee at the passing now turns serious as they figure out how to implement a road paving plan.
The 3.5-mill continuous road levy is expected to bring in about $490,000 a year. The money will start rolling in in the spring.
Road Supt. Jaime Fredenburg said he wants to meet with the trustees to discuss what roads they want to pave in 2023 and beyond.
The trustees presented a 20-year plan to pave every township road, and bring up the unaccepted roads to the point that they would be accepted for perpetual township maintenance.
“We have the plan,” Fredenburg said. “The only thing we have to figure out is what can we do based on what we’re gonna receive next year according to that plan.”
Fredenburg also raised the possibility of borrowing money to accelerate the plan, with the levy money used to pay off the loan.
The township has been successful in applying for grant funds to help pave roads through the Issue 1 program, a bond-funded, state program that pays for infrastructure projects. The Ohio Public Works Commission, which oversees the Issue 1 program, also offers no-interest loans, Fredenburg said.
“They have 0-percent loans, so use the loan money and your money and grant money all in combination to maybe do two years in one year,” Fredenburg said.
That scenario would pertain to the years 2024 and beyond, because the Issue 1 application period for 2023 has already passed. The township was successful in receiving a grant to pave Lucy Street in Masury.
The trustees set a meeting for Dec. 19, following their department head meeting, which begins at 1 p.m., to go over options for 2023 with Fredenburg.
The Trumbull County Engineer’s Office has been helpful in preparing paving specifications and cost estimates and bidding out projects on behalf of townships, and Fredenburg would like to ask them to do that again.
“I’d like to get that over to the county in January. so they can prepare all the documents and get a bid out,” Fredenburg said.
Year 1 of the 20-year plan has the township paving Albright McKay Road between King Graves Road and Amy Boyle Road; Lucy Street; Jane Street; Edmond Street; Erie Street; Jacqueline Drive; and North Stateline Road. The plan also calls for paving half of King Graves Road, but that was contingent upon getting an Issue 1 grant in a joint application with Hartford. That application has been denied, and Fredenburg has asked the trustees to meet with the Hartford trustees and discuss their options.
