OPINION – Pavement management is complex, especially when limited budget funds are stretched to cover the town’s deteriorating streets. To manage this responsibly, the town hired professionals to utilize the RAS pavement assessment report, the BOSS agreement management program, an independent streets committee and our Public Works director to professionally evaluate road conditions and prioritize repairs, ensuring taxpayer dollars are maximized and spent fairly and efficiently.
Instead of relying on the town’s professional street management program, another “Direct Select” street has been supported by the mayor and council majority, diverting funds from council-approved, professionally prioritized street maintenance. Preferential street selection by amateurs micromanaging the experts severely undermines the pavement management plan, depletes current and future funding and ultimately increases long-term maintenance costs by millions of dollars.
At the mayor’s request, E. Richwood Drive was selected for repair even though it was not on the street list and budgeted for repair. Also, it is a residential street rather than a critical arterial, and ranks below other approved streets in need. Prioritizing it out of sequence demonstrates favoritism and a disregard for the adopted budget, staff planning and professional expertise.
