Rubber a go

Rubber is a go as the Lindsay city council approved the submittal of CalRecycle grants which, if approved, would allow rubberized pavement treatments on some city streets.

Mike Camarena, city services director, explained that some areas of the city have seen success with these treatments.

“Tulare Road, Gale Hill and downtown are recent successful rubberized pavement granted projects,” said Camarena, who added that the cost to the city would be $424,500 and grants would total $129,500. The improvements will take place on Mirage Avenue from Hermosa Street to Tulare Road, Gale Hill Avenue from Hermosa to Tulare Road, Hermosa Street from Elmwood Avenue to Harvard Avenue, Alameda Street from East Bond Way to Orange Avenue and Orange Avenue from Tulare Road to Alameda Street.

Mayor Ed Murray asked about the city’s share and where it would come from.

“That $424,500 is that money set aside already for some of the streets or where does it come from,” asked Murray.

“Yes, it comes from the street and gas tax,” said Camarena.

Council member Pam Kimball wanted to know how the rubberized treatment compared with regular hot asphalt.

“The difference is, as the application identifies, it pays for the difference between the rubberized mix and the standard hot mix,” stated Camarena, who added that the rubberized treatment costs more.

“What are your thoughts on if we don’t get the funding,” Council member Ramona Villareal-Padilla asked.

“If we don’t get the funding, it’ll probably take us a few more years to cover all five streets,” stated Camarena.

The council, minus Council member Danny Salinas who abstained due to a conflict of interest, voted to approve the grant application submittals. If approved, the construction would start in the fiscal year of 2013-2014.

The council also voted to approve the grant performance reports (GPR) for the 2005 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the California Citrus Pulp Industry (CCPI) pipeline project and the 2009 CDBG grant for the Micro Business Assistance Loan program.

“The GPR is merely a formality and every grant has to have a report. It’s part of the close out process,” said Tamara Laken, city finance director, who added that the reports state how the money was spent. A public hearing was held on the reports. However, no one spoke in favor of or against the aforementioned reports which were approved.

In other business:

-The Council voted to approve the acceptance of a grant deed for Well 15 which would give the well back to the city.

-Heard from Kimball on the recent Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) meeting in which outreach to the community was discussed in regards to reducing vehicle miles traveled as part of its sustainable community strategies.

-Rick Wilkinson, city manager, reported that there is a potential developer looking into buying the old Cardinal Zone which was listed at $75,000 and appraised at $68,000.