The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published February 11, 2015

More sidewalks for Osage Beach

By Jeff Thompson
OSAGE BEACH - The city is looking to the future of additional sidewalks with actions taken by the Board of Aldermen last week.

Two ordinances dealing directly with a proposed sidewalk stretching from a location on Osage Beach Parkway near Arby’s Restaurant to Case Road were give swift first- and second-reading approval by the board.

The first ordinance provides funding for the sidewalk project through the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission’s (MHTC) alternative funds program.

According to Public Works Director Nick Edelman, the MHTC funding program is set up as 80 percent federal funds with a 20 percent local match, the total of which will not exceed $382,459.

Edelman said the city would begin preliminary work on the project but that actual construction would not start until next year.

“We will only be doing the engineering work on this project this year,” Edelman said in a report to the board. “We are looking at construction to begin in 2016.”

The price tag of the engineering work will be approximately 10 to 15 percent of the total project cost, Edelman added after questioned by Alderman Ron Schmitt.

The second ordinance approves a sidewalk improvement agreement with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).

According to Edelman, the traffic signal at Case Road is still owned and operated by MoDOT and would be part of the upcoming Arby’s to Case Road sidewalk project.

“This is a maintenance agreement with MoDOT for as long as the (new) sidewalks are there,” Edelman said, adding that MHTC requires the agreement with MoDOT before any work - including the proposed engineering - can begin.

Alderman Phyllis Marose asked if MoDOT’s ownership would extend to the new sidewalk but was assured by Edelman that would not be the case.

A new sidewalk was not the only such sidewalk issue facing the aldermen Feb. 5.

Another ordinance dealing with a previous sidewalk project that was left unfinished by the contractor was postponed at the request of City Attorney Edward Rucker.

According to the city attorney, “JC Industries is unable to finish the project and under the performance bond Berkley Insurance Company will finish the contract ...”

However, Rucker said a draft contract between the city and the insurance company had not yet been received and asked for a postponement of the issue until he has a chance to review the document when it arrives.

The original sidewalk contract with JC Industries had been set at $327,770.25.

Rucker added that he hopes to be able to present the contract with Berkley Insurance Company to the board in time for its next meeting set for Feb. 19.