(PHOTO BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
A COMMUNITY UNITED… Several community members voiced their concerns about Huntington Drive to council.
By: Breana Reliford
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
The Bryan City Council met on Monday, November 18th, 2024 at 5:30pm with the following members present: Mary Leatherman from Ward 1, Richard Hupe from Ward 2, John Betts from Ward 3, Stephen Alspaugh from Ward 4, Jim Kozumplik At Large, Mayor Carrie Schlade, Clerk/Treasurer John Lehner, city employees from various departments, and several members from the community.
Leatherman called the meeting to order with the pledge of allegiance to follow. The minutes of the November 5th, 2024 meeting were then approved by the council.
The council then opened the floor to public concerns. Almost every single seat was filled with citizens ready to consult the council. The charge was led by Steven Cox, a Bryan resident, who is a regular at Bryan City Council meetings.
Cox confronted the council regarding the street repair issues on Huntington Drive. He has been persistent in his efforts urging the council for action to be taken.
This meeting, the majority of residents living on Huntington Drive accompanied him. Most prepared speeches and personal experiences of how the condition of the road has impacted their lives.
Another citizen approached the podium and admitted they had been sending emails about the issue since 2022.
A few more citizens discussed how they are concerned about the safety of their children and those who ride bikes or motorcycles down the road with the loose gravel.
One stated they have “never seen anything as ridiculous as this”. Another mentioned that they were riding their motorcycle down the road and one day gravel appeared with no warning.
One citizen shared that they were trimming their weeds with a weed wacker when a loose piece of stone kicked up and broke their glasses, leaving them to replace them after only a week of having them.
Another member of the community shared that they were worried for their children’s safety, as they don’t feel comfortable to allow them to play outside while someone is mowing in fear that they will be severely injured.
One member said they feel like they are “being ignored out of spite” and it is “not appreciated”
As many community members voiced their complaints, some attended for support and did not choose to speak. After the public had made their points, they did not receive any immediate feedback.
The council moved on with the meeting to the treasurer’s report and a few other items. Towards the end of the meeting, city engineer Brian Wieland approached the podium to give his stand on the issue. Many of the public had left after speaking, but a few stayed around to hear his statement.
Wieland expressed his awareness that Huntington Drive is a chip and seal road. He said he knows it is crumbling, and he knows it’s a process, saying it needs to be “completely redone”.
He addressed the tar, stone, and gravel, and stated the reason for it was to try and remedy the issue. The tar was used to fill the cracks that were in the road, and the stone and gravel was placed to stick to the tar so that it didn’t get stuck to tires or on feet.
He explained the road simply can’t be paved due to the condition it is in with the foundation and the top layer. Wieland went on to say that due to the bad base underneath and the further damage that has occurred, it was an estimated $600,000-$800,000 to fix the road and make it last.
Any immediate fixes are not guaranteed to hold up through the winter, and he feels reluctant to spend money for a “might hold up” situation.
At this point, the council and Wieland have decided it would be best to communicate with the public the options and consequences that accompany each solution to the problem Huntington Drive residents are currently facing. A presentation may be in the works for an early 2025 council meeting.
The meeting then entered executive session at 6:31pm. The next meeting will take place on December 16, 2024, at 5:30pm.
