By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax Village Council will move forward with hiring a municipal, architectural, engineering and planning firm to perform a feasibility study and provide an estimated cost to construct a railroad quite zone at the Maple Street and Main Street crossings in the Village of Climax.
After lengthy discussion, the council approved a motion by a 5-2 vote (David Miller and Carolyn Kelly voted no) at the council’s regular meeting April 16 before a standing room only audience to hire OHM Advisors for $4,238 to perform the feasibility study. Costs for the final design, bid documents, construction administration services and equipment used for the project would be extra. If Canadian National determines additional adjustments are necessary or equipment gets damaged and needs to be repaired, the Village would be responsible for paying for those additional costs.
At the April 2 Village Council meeting, Larry Bowron, of OHM Architects, Engineers and Planners of Kalamazoo, offered a presentation and answered questions about establishing a Railroad Quiet Zone.
The topic has generated quite a bit of interest in the community.
Cheryl Jaworski, who lives on North Church Street, said she is against the Railroad Quiet Zone. “I live in that neighborhood over there. All of us are used to trains and we don’t mind the noise at all. Most of us sleep through the trains,” said Jaworski.
Village President David Miller hoped because Bowron has been involved with many Railroad Quiet Zone projects, he would have an idea whether the quiet zone would work or not and wondered if the Village could get its money back if the quiet zone can’t work at the two crossings. But Bowron told the Council at the April 2 meeting a final cost and determination could not be determined until after the feasibility study is performed.
One Council member noted the total could reach $100,000 or move, however Bowron hesitated to give even an estimate until the feasibility study was completed and felt the cost could be much less.
Trustee Denise Kenney said she was concerned with the potential cost after learning the cost could reach six figures, especially since there are only approximately 250 parcels paying taxes in the village. “One hundred or two hundred thousand is a boat load of money and I don’t personally want to be responsible for spending that much money for something that is not essential but is more of a convenience for us. I would love for us to be able to do it. Or a fraction. But for that amount of money for our little village. Look at our budget. It’s huge,” said Kenney.
The Village Council recently approved the 2024-2025 general fund budget showing revenues and expenditures totaling $282,814.
One option the Council and some audience members discussed was putting a special assessment millage proposal on a future ballot to help fund the cost for the quiet zone, allowing village residents to decide the issue.
Because the Village of Climax project would be very small, two supplemental safety measures to prevent drivers of vehicles from going around the gates could be used. Bowron said one option to reduce risk is installing a non-traversable curb (typically a six-inch curb in the center of a median) just before the approach on both sides of the road. Another deterrent that could be considered is a mountable curb risk channelization where removable paddles are installed in the middle of the road a specific distance before the crossing.
Bowron said whatever supplemental safety measure is put in place, the preference is installing the items from the stop line at each crossing and continuing with the items in place 100 feet back, however 60 feet will be accepted. He said if the deterrent is less then 60 feet an application would have to be filled out.
A Railroad Quiet Zone is a railroad crossing at which trains are prohibited from sounding their horns. It contains one or more consecutive public grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossings. The horns can be silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns. The exception is if there is an emergency or imminent problem. If there is construction within 25 feet of the quiet zone, sounding the horn is mandatory. Bowron said with a Railroad Quiet Zone in place, the requirements to stop sounding a train horn is a minimum of 15 seconds and no more then 20 seconds before the crossing, which is typically a quarter to a half mile before the railroad crossing, depending on the speed of the train and distance between crossings.
Corn hole equipment will be purchased
The Council narrowly approved a motion by trustee Janet Sutherland to purchase a set of two, 633-pound concrete corn hole forms for $1228 by a 4-3 margin (Joline Chaney, David Miller and Carolyn Kelly voted no). The cost includes shipping. The corn hole forms will be installed in the Village Park. Library, Parks and Cemetery Chairperson Janet Sutherland said she is working with Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson on pricing for eight bean bags. She said she plans to see if Library Director Bill Lewis will consider allowing visitors to check out the bean bags similar to checking out a book. For the immediate future however, participants will have to bring their own bean bags for the corn hole game.
The Climax Village Council will move forward with hiring a municipal, architectural, engineering and planning firm to perform a feasibility study and provide an estimated cost to construct a railroad quite zone at the Maple Street and Main Street crossings in the Village of Climax.
After lengthy discussion, the council approved a motion by a 5-2 vote (David Miller and Carolyn Kelly voted no) at the council’s regular meeting April 16 before a standing room only audience to hire OHM Advisors for $4,238 to perform the feasibility study. Costs for the final design, bid documents, construction administration services and equipment used for the project would be extra. If Canadian National determines additional adjustments are necessary or equipment gets damaged and needs to be repaired, the Village would be responsible for paying for those additional costs.
At the April 2 Village Council meeting, Larry Bowron, of OHM Architects, Engineers and Planners of Kalamazoo, offered a presentation and answered questions about establishing a Railroad Quiet Zone.
The topic has generated quite a bit of interest in the community.
Cheryl Jaworski, who lives on North Church Street, said she is against the Railroad Quiet Zone. “I live in that neighborhood over there. All of us are used to trains and we don’t mind the noise at all. Most of us sleep through the trains,” said Jaworski.
Village President David Miller hoped because Bowron has been involved with many Railroad Quiet Zone projects, he would have an idea whether the quiet zone would work or not and wondered if the Village could get its money back if the quiet zone can’t work at the two crossings. But Bowron told the Council at the April 2 meeting a final cost and determination could not be determined until after the feasibility study is performed.
One Council member noted the total could reach $100,000 or move, however Bowron hesitated to give even an estimate until the feasibility study was completed and felt the cost could be much less.
Trustee Denise Kenney said she was concerned with the potential cost after learning the cost could reach six figures, especially since there are only approximately 250 parcels paying taxes in the village. “One hundred or two hundred thousand is a boat load of money and I don’t personally want to be responsible for spending that much money for something that is not essential but is more of a convenience for us. I would love for us to be able to do it. Or a fraction. But for that amount of money for our little village. Look at our budget. It’s huge,” said Kenney.
The Village Council recently approved the 2024-2025 general fund budget showing revenues and expenditures totaling $282,814.
One option the Council and some audience members discussed was putting a special assessment millage proposal on a future ballot to help fund the cost for the quiet zone, allowing village residents to decide the issue.
Because the Village of Climax project would be very small, two supplemental safety measures to prevent drivers of vehicles from going around the gates could be used. Bowron said one option to reduce risk is installing a non-traversable curb (typically a six-inch curb in the center of a median) just before the approach on both sides of the road. Another deterrent that could be considered is a mountable curb risk channelization where removable paddles are installed in the middle of the road a specific distance before the crossing.
Bowron said whatever supplemental safety measure is put in place, the preference is installing the items from the stop line at each crossing and continuing with the items in place 100 feet back, however 60 feet will be accepted. He said if the deterrent is less then 60 feet an application would have to be filled out.
A Railroad Quiet Zone is a railroad crossing at which trains are prohibited from sounding their horns. It contains one or more consecutive public grade crossings at which locomotive horns are not routinely sounded when trains are approaching the crossings. The horns can be silenced only when other safety measures compensate for the absence of the horns. The exception is if there is an emergency or imminent problem. If there is construction within 25 feet of the quiet zone, sounding the horn is mandatory. Bowron said with a Railroad Quiet Zone in place, the requirements to stop sounding a train horn is a minimum of 15 seconds and no more then 20 seconds before the crossing, which is typically a quarter to a half mile before the railroad crossing, depending on the speed of the train and distance between crossings.
Corn hole equipment will be purchased
The Council narrowly approved a motion by trustee Janet Sutherland to purchase a set of two, 633-pound concrete corn hole forms for $1228 by a 4-3 margin (Joline Chaney, David Miller and Carolyn Kelly voted no). The cost includes shipping. The corn hole forms will be installed in the Village Park. Library, Parks and Cemetery Chairperson Janet Sutherland said she is working with Department of Public Works Manager T.J. Gibson on pricing for eight bean bags. She said she plans to see if Library Director Bill Lewis will consider allowing visitors to check out the bean bags similar to checking out a book. For the immediate future however, participants will have to bring their own bean bags for the corn hole game.
The Climax Village Council purchased a set of two corn hole forms for the Village Park.
Sydney Cope named deputy treasurer; will be named treasurer in May
The Council has already identified Sydney Cope as the new treasurer, after current treasurer Brenda Borden steps down effective May 31. However while Borden trains Cope, the proposed new treasurer will serve as Deputy Treasurer after the Council unanimously approved a resolution to establish a temporary Deputy Treasurer position through May 31, 2024.
The Council will officially name Cope as the treasurer at a Village Council meeting in May with an official start date of June 1. Borden will train Cope until her final day. Because Borden will continue to train Cope on water billing and taxes in June and July, the council will have to determine an hourly rate to pay the outgoing treasurer. Kenney proposed paying Borden $30 an hour to train Cope after her final day May 31. A figure will be determined at one of the May Village Council meetings.
The Council approved a motion to allow Cope to sign checks and perform online banking responsibilities.
Because Cope will be trained the rest of April and the entire month of May, the Council carried a motion to pay her for half the month of April and the full month of May.
Sealed bids for village truck opened
The Council has already identified Sydney Cope as the new treasurer, after current treasurer Brenda Borden steps down effective May 31. However while Borden trains Cope, the proposed new treasurer will serve as Deputy Treasurer after the Council unanimously approved a resolution to establish a temporary Deputy Treasurer position through May 31, 2024.
The Council will officially name Cope as the treasurer at a Village Council meeting in May with an official start date of June 1. Borden will train Cope until her final day. Because Borden will continue to train Cope on water billing and taxes in June and July, the council will have to determine an hourly rate to pay the outgoing treasurer. Kenney proposed paying Borden $30 an hour to train Cope after her final day May 31. A figure will be determined at one of the May Village Council meetings.
The Council approved a motion to allow Cope to sign checks and perform online banking responsibilities.
Because Cope will be trained the rest of April and the entire month of May, the Council carried a motion to pay her for half the month of April and the full month of May.
Sealed bids for village truck opened
Three sealed bids were opened for the purchase of the 2013 Ford F-150 pickup truck the Village replaced recently with the purchase of a new 2024 Ford F-250. The Council accepted the bid for $5,001.49 from Butler Bilt Farms. The other bids were for $1,705 and $3,500.
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