Streetscape appears ready to start next month

Expressing the desire to move past all the talking and get going on Streetscape, Libby City Council members on Tuesday evening considered options on what to include and how to pay for the downtown beautification project.

Since the meeting was classified as a work session, a decision could not be finalized. But based on discussion, it appears that at least the majority of the council wants to find a way to complete two blocks of Mineral Avenue from Highway 2 to Lincoln Boulevard – minus park benches, trees and planters.

“I think it’s great; I think they made the right decision,” said Trent Oelberg, Libby Revitalization director. “I think the city is going to be really happy with what they get.”

Council members scribbled numbers on paper and jumbled calculations in their heads to find a way to make Streetscape a reality before the snow flies this winter. But is that possible?

“It’s going to be a race,” Oelberg said. “It depends on what September is going to be like. September is sometimes great and sometimes it’s cold. October can be a great month.”

The city is currently working on the pavilion project at Riverfront Memorial Park. Logistics concerning the use of city crews will need to be worked out.

“There’s going to be sharing of that resource,” Oelberg said. “The city will be responsible for removing the sidewalks and preparing the base for the sidewalks.”

Itemized costs for the original first phase of the project estimated at $99,919 include:

• Sidewalks, including handicap access and aprons where needed – $18,715.

• Stamped circles for mounting lights – $3,500.

• Light bases – $2,660.

• Electrical for lighting – $12,442.

• Irrigation including planters on lights – $4,500.

• Lighting (14 lights) with plant arms, ground-fault interrupter receptacle – $35,262.

• Planters (24-inch wire planters with moss lining) – $490.

• Trees (33 flowering crabs) delivered and planted – $4,050.

• Hydro seeding lawn – $600.

• Park benches (four) and trash receptacles (two) – $5,200.

• Project management by Libby Main Street – $12,500.

Council member Lee Bothman suggested not upgrading the first 50 feet of sidewalk. Oelberg did not agree with that idea and said that it does indeed need to be replaced.

The city had earlier approved expenditures of $40,000 from its lighting budget and $27,500 in Special Improvement District funds. To help finance the rest of the project this year, Oelberg suggested a $39,000 grant from the Economic Development fund. The council preferred that a loan and not a grant would be more appropriate.

During Tuesday’s work session, the council indicated that they could give Oelberg a $70,000 budget with which to work – $67,500 from lighting and the SID and another $2,500 from the Parks. But based on what most felt should be included in the pre-winter work, at least $10,000 more would be needed.

One suggestion was to take the money out of cash reserves, an idea mayor Tony Berget saw as a gamble because of the unpredictable nature of Montana winters. Another was to arrange a loan from the Economic Development fund.

Waiting until next spring could negatively impact cost estimates.

Streetscape has been on many City Council agendas over the past several months. Oelberg estimated that it’s been in the works for more than three years now.

If the council at its next meeting on Sept. 8 votes to not include benches, trees and planters, the expectation is that those items will be added back in next year.

Eventually, the Steetscape project area will extend all the way to the cul-de-sac at the Libby train depot.