Andy Close
WARREN, Pa. – Warren City Council approved a maintenance agreement for the roundabout at the intersection of Market St. and Pennsylvania Ave. during Monday’s meeting.
The motion to approve the agreement passed by a 4-3 vote, and came after a motion by Councilman John Wortman to indefinitely postpone action on the agreement, which failed by a 4-3 vote.
The maintenance agreement covers landscaping in the center island of the roundabout, which also includes a retaining wall with an electric hookup.
“The estimated cost of $5 million is double the estimate that was used to sell and approve this project,” said Mayor David Wortman, who along with Councilman John Wortman and Joe Michaels voted for the postponement. “The failure to reevaluate and proceed with this roundabout project is an unacceptable use of taxpayer money. Either PennDot’s cost evaluation is broken or original costs were underestimated. I’m guessing those that voted to approve this project would have voted differently had they had that $5 million price tag.”
The $5 million is the total cost of the project to be covered by PennDot, which the city is not on the hook for.
Added Councilman John Wortman: “PennDot has been clear it does not want the opinion from the council or its citizens. In that light, they don’t need any city money to pay for it.”
Director of Public Works Mike Holtz added that the city was always going to pay for the electricity.
“The city was always paying for the lights at the get-go,” Holtz said. “The city is responsible for that bill.”
A motion to proceed with the maintenance agreement passed by a 4-3 vote, with Wendy McCain, Phil Gilbert, Jared Villella, and Maurice Cashman voting in the affirmative.
“PennDot will put up the wall,” Holtz said. “The city is not paying for that. The city is paying for landscape upkeep.”
