Skorzewski resigns, Deegan Drive and Sunset Creek discussed

After much thought and consideration, she said, Kathy Skorzewski announced her resignation as mayor at the Hill City Common Council (HCCC) meeting June 12. Her resignation is effective July 10. 

In the best interest of the community and council, Skorzewski recommended holding the vacant position until the order of the new council is established. 

This was not an easy decision for Skorzewski, but she said, “I do appreciate the years that I’ve had the trust of the people to serve as your mayor. It was an experience, and one that was definitely a good experience in many ways. 

“I look forward to the council continuing to make decisions that are in the best interest of the people.” 

Along with this, Skorzewski urged the council to get all the facts before making decisions, research both sides of the story and lead in a way that allows Hill City to continue to grow.

For the remainder of the meeting, the council discussed two primary topics, Deegan Drive and the Sunset Creek development. 

After the discussion about Deegan Drive at the HCCC meeting May 22, Doaty went to the Sundby residence and took a look at Deegan Drive as well as Lacy’s Court. 

“The road’s in a lot rougher shape than what I was thinking. There’s really no gravel on it whatsoever at this point,” said Doaty. 

While examining the road, Doaty took numerous pictures which were shown at the meeting. These revealed gravel from the road in the drainage basins, grooves from the drainage in the road, erosion from recent rainfall and gravel in residents’ yards.

One culvert he examined was silted in with gravel restricting flow and pipes leading to Major Lake were almost completely blocked. There was also a storm pipe going to the sewer with a downward gap alongside the pipe. 

In some spots there is a three to four foot deep drop on the side of the road such that if someone slid off the road, “it’s going to be a heck of a ride,” according to Doaty. 

Along with examining the road, Doaty talked with just about every resident on Deegan Drive and Lacy’s Court. They are split 50-50 on paving versus not paving, “but the point is at this point and time that road sucks, and something needs to be done about it,” said Doaty. 

The city does not have the equipment it needs to fix and maintain Deegan Drive, and there is nothing left to grade. Instead, Doaty recommended that the city contract someone to repair and maintain Deegan Drive along with the other gravel roads. 

Doaty did clarify that he was not faulting or doubting the public works team. It simply does not have the right equipment, he said.

Ed Sundby asked the council to note that repairing the road would not be for one property owner but for 27 property owners.

One community member in attendance agreed that Doaty was on the right track and that the council should get someone to maintain the road. Meanwhile, another community member recommended looking into purchasing a tractor with different attachments so the city would have the equipment to maintain the roads.

It was also asked if the council could borrow equipment from another town so it would be cheaper. Unfortunately, Doaty said that would require inter-municipal contracts, which Hill City does not have. There is also a liability if something is wrecked or someone is injured. 

With this topic in mind, city administrator Brett McMacken spoke with the city engineer and received a proposal for projected paving and engineering costs for north Newton Ave, Forest Street, Lacy’s Court, Bishop Mountain Drive, Short Street, Smokey Drive, Spruce Street and Deegan Drive. 

It was noted the council had previously discussed phasing in these projects in by paying for the engineering designs first and later paying for the street paving so project could be completed all at once. 

Also, alderman Jason Gillaspie believed that in past discussions about paving gravel roads, the council ranked north Newton Street, Deegan Drive and Lacy’s Court as the roads most in need of repair. 

McMacken pointed out that before any paving, gravel road maintenance is the more immediate need to address. Alderman Dale Householder requested the engineering studies for north Newton, Deegan Drive and Lacy’s Court be put on the agenda for the next council meeting. 

Householder made a motion to hire Bob Herman and obtain any rental equipment needed to work on all of the gravel roads in Hill City. Herman worked on the Hill City roads around 10 years ago as a part-time seasonal employee. 

While understanding that something needed to be done Gillaspie was concerned about allocating too much money to temporary maintenance that could instead be spent on permanent paving. However, Skorzewski and Householder pointed out that the paving plan would take time, and the roads needed to be maintained until then. 

The Sunset Creek settlement was added as a discussion item at the HCCC meeting based on a written request by Walker. 

Walker said the biggest concern based on general consensus is the settlement agreement says, “There is no time period specified for the city to completelower level phase I road repair work nor any requirement that settlement funds be used specifically for this road project or the sewer system.” 

The time frame is a concern because the cost of fixing the road will continue to go up as time passes. However, Skorzewski said no time frame was listed in the settlement because the lawsuit was not addressing the work but the deficiencies and how they would be addressed. 

Walker also believed that the $500,000 from the settlement should be used to finish the roads in Sunset Creek. All the council members were in agreement. 

Rather, Skorzewski said the wording in the settlement was recommended by city attorney Talbot Wieszorek since how the funds are used is up to the discretion of the council. 

On the topic of timeline, Householder said, “If we can get the money together, I’d be for doing it as fast as we can do it understanding that there are places out there that have to be repaired before we can put that second layer down.”

These needed repairs were confirmed by the city engineer as part of the settlement proceedings.

One resident of Sunset Creek agreed that several places in the pavement are broken up and need to be repaired. He wants the settlement funds to go to Sunset Creek, and he also wants the job to be done right so it does not become a problem again 10 years later.

Walker later brought up two more concerns. First, he said that part of the consensus is wondering why the city has to spend $30,000 to $40,000 on an engineering study when people that have been doing this work for 40 plus years could complete the project. 

Second, Walker said there is a concern that completing an engineering study and taking additional time to discuss it will prolong the completion of the road.

McMacken later said the council is restricted in its spending authority by state bid laws. Even when working with contractors, he said, the city would have to go out to bid with the estimate, look at the numbers and award it to the low bidder. 

“Whether it’s me, or the city attorney, or the city engineer, or the finance officer or the public, the council here is to listen to all of this and try to make the best choices and decisions that they can,” said McMacken.

While the council is not bound by law to listen to and go the route of a specific person, it is bound by how it can spend money.

At this point, the settlement is still being finalized as all parties sign the agreement. No money has been transferred to the city. 

McMacken also said that when the streets are accepted, they plan on dealing with the manhole that has popped up out of the ground. 

Nathan Anderson additionally requested four things for the Sunset Creek streets. After they are accepted by the city, he would like speed tables, snow plowing, an enforced speed limit and no through traffic for heavy trucks on Major Lake Drive which could damage the road.