By Bruce Rolfe
After months of discussion and investing over $4,200 in a feasibility study, the Climax Village Council agreed to discontinue discussions about the Railroad Quiet Zone by a 5-0 vote and one council member abstaining at its regular meeting July 16.
After listening to feedback from an over flow audience and discussing the Railroad Quiet Zone item for nearly one hour, Council Trustee Carolyn Kelly first asked if the Council was interested in placing a proposal on the November General Election ballott, allowing all registered voters in the village to decide the controversial topic.
However after learning the deadline to have a proposal on the November ballot is July 30 at 4 p.m., Kelly then offered a motion to discontinue the Railroad Quiet Zone discussion altogether. The motion was seconded by Trustee Joline Chaney and the Council approved the motion by a 5-0 margin, with Arlene Von Hout abstaining and Trustee Alyssa Schwili absent.
“We’ve got a lot of other expenses we’ve got to deal with,” said Kelly.
Interim Village Council President David Miller said he has talked to just two residents who were in favor of the idea.
The council received petitions containing the signatures of 118 Village of Climax residents against the Railroad Quiet Zone at the May 14 meeting.
Trustee Joline Chaney said she was following up on a suggestion by a village resident about looking into establishing a Railroad Quiet Zone. She brought the idea up at a previous Council meeting and in April the Climax Village Council voted by a 5-2 margin (David Miller and Carolyn Miller voted no) to hire OHM Advisors, a municipal, architectural, engineering and planning firm, to perform a feasibility study at a cost of $4,238 that provided the Village with an estimated cost to construct a Railroad Quite Zone at the Maple Street and Main Street crossings in the Village of Climax.
A $100 expense from Flegal-Melnik, the Village’s certified public accountant, which Clerk Linda Coburn said was prompted by the Railroad Quiet Zone to provide a financial analysis for the Village, leaves the total the Council invested in the idea at approximately $4,338.
The OHM feasibility study revealed the cost for infrastructure upgrades at the North Main Street and West Maple Street railroad crossings to establish a Railroad Quiet Zone would range from $12,000 - $26,000 for equipment, however $5,600 in additional costs for signage ($600), Railroad permits ($3,500), and Daily Traffic Counts ($1,500) would bring the estimated total range to $17,600 - $31,600.
To prevent drivers from going around the railroad gates, supplemental safety measures would be required at each crossing. The Feasibility Study notes 100’ of channelization devices on a mountable curb in the middle of the street would be installed on both the west and east side of the West Maple Street crossing. The two residential driveways on the east side of the crossing and south side of the road, would need to be signed with “No Left Turn” signs. A “No Train Horn” sign would need to be installed on each side of the crossing as well.
The two residents who would be impacted by having to drive further up the road, turn around and return back to their homes because the channelization devices would prevent them from turning directly into their driveways, voiced their opposition about the idea at the meeting.
Similar to the Maple Street crossing, 100’ of channelization devices on a mountable curb would be installed on the North side of the Main Street crossing, however approximately 45’ of channelization devices would be installed on the South side of this crossing. A “No Train Horn” sign would need to be installed on each side of the crossing as well.
Village resident Rita Beck was concerned there will be additional costs and unexpected expenses with equipment repairs on top of the costs listed in the feasibility study.
“There are so many unanswered questions,” said Beck.
Couple Concerned with Flooding Issues at Corner of Maple and Lovell Streets
A couple who have resided in the Village of Climax at the corner of Maple and Lovell Streets for eight years, alerted the Council about flooding issues in the area that has left their basement and crawl space filled with water after a recent period of heavy rain.
The Council invested approximately $13,000 a few years ago to install a new catch basin near the area and previously cleaned out catch basins in the area after the couple had the same concerns with flooding issues.
Interim President David Miller said Clean Earth was scheduled to clean out the catch basins and culvert under the road near the couple’s home July 17.
Installing a concrete curb near the location will be reviewed to help redirect water runoff occurring from the sloped road on Lovel Street and a sloped driveway at a location across the street from the couple’s home. Deepening a retention pond across the street and lowering a catch basin in the area will also be considered.
Estimate to Replace Warning Siren Will Be Secured
Repairing or replacing the emergency warning siren in the village has been a topic at recent meetings and the Council authorized Public Safety and Fire Chairman Nick Ludwig to secure an estimate for a 220-volt warning siren. There would be an additional electrician cost to hook up the siren and another cost to route the signal to the Climax Township Fire Station.
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