Two Bradford City construction projects are each one step closer to starting.
On Tuesday, city council authorized the local Office of Economic and Community Development to advertise for bid contracted services for the next phase of the Second Ward Neighborhood streetscape improvement project, and they opened bids for Phase I of the Main Street streetscape improvement project.
The Second Ward improvements include upper Elm Street, paving on Park Street, and the east side of Congress Street between Congress Place and Park Street. The project will be paid for with a Community Development Block Grant and Downtown Bradford Revitalization Corp.-Neighborhood Partnership Project funding sources.
For the Main Street project, two companies submitted bids, which city administrator Teri Cannon opened during the meeting. M & D Services out of Clarion submitted a bid for $1,631,170, and Bob Cummins Construction submitted a bid for $1,959,090.60.
Mayor Tom Riel said council would take the bids “under review and reserve any action for a later date.”
Among the visitors at the meeting was Harriet Nevil of Eldred, who organized the inaugural Bradford Women’s March that took place Feb. 16 in Veterans Square.
“I paid for a permit for a Women’s March on Veterans Square,” she told council. “I need you to help me to understand what that $25 fee was for.”
Riel explained that everyone who reserves the square for use for a formal event pays a permit fee. He noted that people can gather there with no reservations for free.
Nevil took issue to the fact that on the morning of the march, “the steps (to the gazebo) and walkway were covered with thick ice and snow.”
She explained that for safety purposes, organizers had to get rid of the ice before the event.
“The least I could have expected the city could have thrown some salt out for us,” Nevil said.
Public Works Director Chip Comilla said he would have to look at the records to see what the weather was like.
Riel added that the city normally doesn’t have Department of Public Works out on Saturday unless there is a weather event that needs addressed. Also, few people reserve the square in the winter, he said. He indicated it will be something for them to consider in the future.
Nevil also wondered about the insurance policy the city requested she purchase for the event, which Cannon noted was liability insurance.
Mark Hollenbeck, the city’s solicitor, explained that something can happen any time people gather, and the city could get sued.
Nevil told them if they’re worried about liability, why don’t they throw salt?
Council introduced an ordinance setting the pay for the city treasurer for the next four years as follows: $50,400 each year for 2020 and 2021, which includes $37,275 for the position of city treasurer and $13,125 for the position of tax collector; and $52,920 each year for 2022 and 2023, to include $39,138.75 for the position of treasurer and $13,781.25 for the position of tax collector.
Cannon explained the city is required to set the treasurer’s pay at least two days before the last day for candidates to withdraw their names from the nominating petitions before the day of the municipal election.
The ordinance was passed on the first of two readings with one holdout: Councilman Tim Pecora abstained from the vote because he is running for treasurer.
Regarding a commercial property at 30 Boylston St., council accepted a proposal from an architect firm to design documents for the conversion of the space for residential use. R.W. Larson Associates, PC, offered to complete the proposed work for $18,500, to be paid from the OECD’s Housing Revolving Loan and Main Street Properties account.
The building at 30 Boylston had last been The Landmark Cafe and before that, The Aud, Kimberly’s Cool Beans Cafe and The Emery Espresso Bar.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. March 12.
