FENWICK ISLAND – Officials in Fenwick Island last week agreed to proceed with a costly street microsurfacing project.
Last Friday, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to move forward with a street program for fiscal year 2019 that would require an estimated $168,398 to microsurface the municipality’s roadways.
Town Manager Terry Tieman told the council Kercher Engineering recently completed an assessment of the town’s streets that determined the need for a microsurfacing project.
“In the early spring we had Kercher Engineering company come in for a street assessment,” she said. “They presented quite a bit of work that needed to be done, but most of the work is microsurfacing.”
While the town had budgeted $85,000 for the street maintenance program in fiscal year 2019, Tieman said the microsurfacing projects would cost an estimated $168,398.
“It was more than what we anticipated, but we didn’t have the assessment work finished until after the budget was approved,” she said.
Tieman noted that the town would pay for the project using funds from realty transfer tax and money budgeted for other capital projects.
Councilwoman Vicki Carmean said the town had used Kercher Engineering for past projects and questioned if the microsurfacing project could be completed at a lower price.
“I didn’t know if they could give us a discount because we’ve had so much work done,” she said.
Tieman noted the cost of the project was a conservative estimate and that the town had yet to complete any actual bidding. She said the final cost of the project, as well as a contract, would be brought before the council at a later date.
The council voted 7-0 to move forward with the project.
“It will prolong the life of the streets,” Tieman said.
The council last Friday also voted unanimously to revise the fiscal year 2019 budget to include additional funding for a lifeguard competition in Virginia Beach.
Tieman said Fenwick Island Beach Patrol Captain Tim Ferry had requested an additional $1,350 to send more lifeguards to an upcoming competition.
“We originally budgeted $3,490,” she said. “Because of the proceeds from the (town) bonfire the captain asked for an additional $1,350 and this makes that possible.”
Tieman said the additional money would be transferred from the beach committee account to the general fund.
“That will enable at least two more lifeguards to go to the competition in Virginia Beach,” she said.
