The Village of Russell Gardens Board of Trustees approved a second bid for road work repairs at its regularly scheduled meeting Thursday after receiving bids two months ago that came in over budget.
The board is seeking to repair two eroding storm sewer drains on Tain Drive and some curbings on Melbourne Road, Wensley Drive, Linford Road, Clent Road and Dunster Road.
“I felt that the dollars were too high,” said Russell Gardens Mayor Matthew Bloomfield.
Bloomfield said the village believed about $140,000 is needed for the street projects.
Also at the meeting, Bloomfield praised the town’s maintenance workers for maintaining good snow removal services despite the record-setting snowfall in the past few months.
“It’s been a busy, busy, busy, busy month for maintenance,” Bloomfield said, referring to the six snowstorms that have hit this winter. “Our roads have been constantly clear and passable.”
Bloomfield said the maintenance crew has also been active, repairing a broken snowplow so it will last several years longer.
In the wake of a tax increase in last month’s passed budget, Bloomfield said the repairs allowed the town to avert the need to spend the more than $70,000 required for a new plow truck.
“We have it very much under control,” Bloomfield said, explaining that he was confident about continuing service throughout the winter despite the challenging weather. “I think our people draw from years of experience, and they also learn from the differences each storm has to offer. So far, this year, we’ve been notably successful.”
The mayor added that, while taxes increased as a result of the passage of last month’s budget, he hasn’t received any complaints from residents. He attributed the relative quiet to a general satisfaction with the services being provided. In some cases this winter, town employees have gone beyond their responsibilities, clearing snow from sidewalks and personal property after clearing the streets.
“We have a really active group of trustees and mayor,” said resident and former Russell Gardens mayor Dan Nachmanoff, who attended the meeting. “[They] really follow the things and provide the services that we need in our community.”
