Weathersfield trustees cut back on paving costs

By Mary Smith

The plan to pave all the township streets would have cost more than $130,000.

MINERAL RIDGE — Weathersfield Township trustees voted to spend up to $90,000 on a paving program this year.

They awarded the contract for the work to low bidder, Butch and McCrea of Hillsville, Pa.

Although trustees spent $100,000 on paving last year, they decided to reduce the amount this year to leave funds available for future road department equipment purchases. But the streets in the worst shape will get attention in the program.

Township administrator David Pugh told trustees that to do all the streets the township originally bid out, it would cost $130,352. The cost of asphalt has risen from $80 a yard last year to $141 a yard this year, he said.

Clerk David Rouan said that the township alternates from year to year to take funds for paving from the gasoline tax or the license plate tax. Pugh said he believes that the township can do some of its worst roads for around $86,000.

Plans involve patching Ohltown-Girard Road, paving Longwood, Glenwood and Bellwood avenues to the Niles city limits, and paving Garfield Avenue and Youll Avenue Extension.

Except for Ohltown-Girard Road, the streets are all on the north side of Robbins Avenue and west of U.S. Route 422 in McKinley Heights.

Paving is expected to be completed by around the second week of August, Pugh said.

In other matters, trustees hired Daniel Daniluk at $2,500 a month as new legal counsel, replacing the late Atty. William Roux, who died in June. Daniluk will work with Atty. Douglas Ross from the law firm of Chaney, Roux and Ross of Warren. The two attorneys will divide the work as they decide, but Daniluk will be billed.