Published: July 30, 2008 11:12 am            

New Albany mayor pleased with bids on industrial roads

New Albany Mayor Doug England feels the rehabilitation of roads in the city’s northern and southern industrial parks will help retain businesses.

The Redevelopment Commission awarded the contract for rebuilding roads at the parks Tuesday, to Gohmann Asphalt and Construction Inc., of Clarksville.

They submitted the lowest of three bids, winning the contract with an asking price of $787,800. The estimate for the work was $1 million, but all the bids came in under that amount.

“I’m very impressed and excited about the price of the bids that came in,” England said.

John Rosenbarger, director of facilities for public works, asked the commission to allow staff to review the winning bid on the same day it was opened, so the rehab work could begin as soon as possible.

England said the industrial parks account for the most employees in the city.

“It’s the right thing to do and it needed to be done,” he said.

Though England would still like to see more room for industrial growth, he said improving the streets is a start, considering they have not been revamped in more than 30 years.

“They need good transportation capability,” England said.

Carl F. Booth Veneers is planning on relocating to Jeffersonville’s River Ridge Commerce Center in 2009, mainly because of lack of space for the industry to grow in New Albany.

While rehabbing roads won’t provide necessary space for some industries, England said it does show the city’s appreciation for those businesses that choose to operate in New Albany.

In other city news

The Board of Works and Safety approved a demonstration permit for Mark Robinson on Tuesday, allowing him and other volunteers from the group Save Silver Street School, to distribute brochures later this week.

Robinson and others plan on handing out material on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during registration at Silver Street Elementary School.

The school has been the subject of debate lately, as meeting notes from a committee formed by New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. Superintendent Dennis Brooks show that closing Silver Street is being considered.

Robinson said at the board meeting that the organization feels they need to hand out brochures explaining the issue, because many of the parents whose children will be registering that day are low income, and might not have the means to be as informed on the subject.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.