Dover residents ask city council to close alley

Dover residents ask city council to close alley
Lori Feeney

Dover resident Rome Marinelli addresses city council on the need to close an alley between Race and Cross streets for safety purposes. Also pictured are Amy Marinelli and councilman Gregory Bair.

                        

At its April 19 meeting, Dover resident Rome Marinelli asked city council to close or vacate an alley at East Eighth Street between Race and Cross streets. Marinelli had collected signatures on a petition, which was submitted to council.

According to Marinelli, there are two alleys there, so one of them could be closed, saving taxpayers the money spent on maintaining the alley.

“It’s also a safety issue,” Marinelli said. “Some kids have had close calls and were almost struck by cars, and some neighbors have put in security cameras because nonresidents are utilizing the alley till 3 a.m. We’re looking to have the alley closed to traffic but have it stay open as a utility easement.”

Council President Shane Gunnoe asked the planning commission to further investigate the possibility of vacating or closing the alley.

Marinelli also asked if the City of Dover had been audited recently by the EPA. Gunnoe answered yes, the city was audited for storm water and is addressing all violations by developing a Storm Water Pollution Protection Plan.

In council reports

Mayor Homrighausen reported via Zoom, saying opening day for Dover youth baseball and softball will be May 1. He said due to COVID-19, there will be no formal ceremony this year. All games will begin at 1 p.m.

Service director Dave Douglas reported a bid opening took place in his office on April 13 for the street paving program. According to Douglas, Newton Asphalt was the low bidder on surface course asphalt at $67.50 per ton.

He also said bids were opened for new water meters for the water department. Bids ranged from a low of $307,142.80 to a high of $920,000, all of which are more than the budgeted amount of $300,000 plus engineering costs. Douglas will rebid the contract.

Safety/HR director Gerry Mroczkowski said the civil service exam was given in council chambers on April 17 in an effort to hire two police officers. Seven people took the exam with five passing both the written and physical agility portions of the test. Those five will now go through an interview process, and two will be selected to undergo the pre-employment process, which consists of a background check, drug screen, polygraph exam, physical stress test and psychological exam.

In legislation

Council heard the first reading of a resolution to enter a partnership agreement with the county for the 2021 Community Housing Impact and Preservation program.

Council passed the following:

—An ordinance authorizing the sale of city vehicles via online auction or the city police auction and to sell vehicles that do not sell in this manner for scrap.

—An ordinance to adopt an amended capital asset policy due to a new capital assets system.

—An ordinance adopting a procurement policy for the city as recommended by the city auditor.

—An emergency ordinance to begin the bidding and contract process for drilling a water well to service the city light plant at a cost not to exceed $120,000.

—An emergency ordinance approving an additional $538,650 for unbid emergency work at the city electric-generation plant discovered during the 2021 plant shut-down. The cost is in addition to the original $405,000 already approved, of which $382,385 has already been spent.

—An emergency ordinance to rebuild, repair and maintenance the Fairbanks Morse diesel generator at the city light plant in an amount not to exceed $579,416.


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