Mount Pleasant City Commission puts Adams Street overlay back into 2013 budget

A previously pushed aside project will be completed after all thanks to city commissioners approving an amendment to the Mount Pleasant 2013 operating budget.

At Monday’s meeting, city commissioners approved an amendment to the budget that would make it possible for Adams Street to receive an overlay this summer.

Adams Street from Broadway to High streets was originally in the budget as the major street to receive an overlay, but the commission decided last month that Preston Street was a more pressing matter, and an amendment was approved to replace the Adams Street project with the Preston Street overlay.

“… (Preston Street) has significantly deteriorated over the last couple of years, and because of the amount of traffic on that street, our need to repair it was accelerated,” City Manager Kathie Grinzinger said.

When the amendment was adopted in January, Commissioner Jim Holton was the lone dissenting vote.

Holton wanted to work and see if it was possible for both streets to receive overlays this year.

Grinzinger said in the last few weeks the matter was looked into, and there are sufficient funds available in the major street fund to be able to complete the Adams Street project this summer.

When the amendment in January was approve, it did not change the dollar amount spent on major street overlays, Grinzinger said.

The amount the Preston Street overlay was awarded was the $68,300 originally for the Adams Street project.

Another $68,000 will be spent on Adams Street.

Grinzinger said the engineering staff is confident the work can be absorbed in the construction calendar.

When Mayor Kathy Ling asked for a motion on the proposed amendment at Monday’s meeting, Holton didn’t hesitate, raising his hand first.

Vice Mayor Sharon Tilmann thanked Holton for advocating having both overlays completed in 2013.

“He was the one that kind of pushed for this and brought it forward,” Tilmann said. “I’m glad to know there are sufficient funds to cover this and there won’t be a delay.”