REVA BOWEN - North County Staff | Posted: Sunday, May 27, 2007 11:00 pm
Orem wants more traffic signals but will have to sacrifice to get them.
City officials said in a recent meeting that they want to allot money for the traffic lights in their $83 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year, but the choice means postponing some landscaping, sidewalks, streetlights and new carpeting.
"There is always going to be competition for the [budget] funds," said city manager Jim Reams during the discussion. "... It's all a matter of priorities, just like it is at home."
Orem's tentative 2007-08 fiscal year budget already includes funding for two new traffic signals -- at 400 South and 1200 West, and 980 West and 800 North. Each traffic light costs about $250,000.
In order for a signal to be installed, certain state criteria must be met, including sufficient traffic and pedestrian volume and school crossings. The state also analyzes the number of accidents, and how the signal would fit in with the existing system. The city follows a prioritized list in installing the signals as funds are available.
Citing budget restrictions, council members said they would need to delay additional streetlights for parks and expired special lighting districts, at a cost of $462,000, and new carpeting for the library's north wing, at a cost of $182,000, trim $125,000 from sidewalk funds, and cut funds to roadside landscaping along 800 North and Center Street.
The resulting savings of $894,000 would then be applied to install the top three priority traffic signals -- at 800 South and Main Street, 400 North and 400 West, and 800 South and 400 West. City traffic engineers say the next two signals on their list -- at 800 East and 400 North, and 800 East and 1200 North -- must be installed together for traffic flow in the overall system.
"If we have the money for one, two and three, then four and five the next year, it moves them all up two years," said Mayor Jerry Washburn. "We will have the two planned [signals], plus three more. That is huge."
"It's an improvement," said Councilwoman Margaret Black. "It's a step forward in this endeavor."
Reams said the proposed budget includes $75,000 to rebuild the Cherry Hill tennis court, but the double court will require twice that amount, so the project may be postponed and rolled over into next year's budget.
Sewage pretreatment fees were another issue discussed extensively by the council. City staff is proposing raising the fees significantly in order to more accurately reflect the actual cost of sampling and treatment, but also to motivate businesses that have been out of compliance to take the necessary steps to pretreat some waste on site, such as automotive oil and restaurant grease. Pretreatment reduces the time needed for treatment at the plant, thereby increasing the plant's capacity.
Richard Manning, assistant city manager, said the vast majority of 200-plus permitted businesses comply and avoid pretreatment fines, and only about 10 or so per year are a problem.
The council seemed to favor sending letters to businesses, holding workshops to educate on the issue and giving a six-month grace period to Jan. 1 for businesses to come into compliance.
Reams said the city has not increased sewage fees for 12 years, although lab costs have gone up.
The annual sampling fee is proposed to be raised from $500 to $800, and the reinspection fee from $25 to $40, simply to cover increased costs.
"We're playing catch up right now," Reams acknowledged.
Council members also discussed a proposal to close city offices for Human Rights Day in place of Columbus Day.
Another proposed change is a $10 fee for CDs of council minutes, and a $10 fee for subdivision plans on CD.
"We're not doing this for revenue gain," Reams said. "This is just to cover the cost of special services."
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.