Carroll city officials are scheduled to host informational sessions next week on the Adams Street reconstruction project slated to begin in 2023. The project was initially planned for this year, but the Carroll City Council delayed it after receiving pushback from residents concerned about the high costs that could be pushed onto individual property owners. City Engineer Randy Krauel outlines the scope of what work they have planned. Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
This portion of Adams Street and the underlying utility lines were first installed nearly a century ago. According to Krauel, they are also considering replacing the storm sewer, sanitary sewer, and water lines buried nearby or beneath the road while it is already accessible.
Krauel adds that the main question is who is responsible for reconnecting the water and sewer service lines to the newly installed mains. He says the current city code indicates that would fall to property owners.
Several options are available for how those expenses could be paid, including special assessments for each property, direct payment to the city from owners, or regular property taxes. The council has yet to decide on how they would like to proceed. Krauel says their decision will likely affect similar projects in the community for decades to come.
The first public information session is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 26 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Carroll City Hall following the council meetings. Another information meeting is slated for Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 5:15 p.m. to 7 p.m., also at Carroll City Hall. This is a come-and-go event that will provide individual property owners with details regarding their connections to city services.