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Roanoke council discusses sidewalk on Hillside

The Roanoke Town Council discussed constructing a sidewalk on Hillside Avenue at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Responding to an inquiry by resident Greg Morris on the topic, the board responded that the town had plans to build a sidewalk on the south side on Hillside Avenue, which is located in the Roanoke Village subdivision. The sidewalk will run from Lowry Way to South Main Street.

The cost of the work will be approximately $21,000 to $22,000, said Supervisor of Operations Phil Hibbert.

While council did not specify a timeframe when construction would begin, it did state that it would occur this year.

The board also considered a request to place a stop sign on Hillside Avenue near Lowry Way. The sign would face uphill. Councilman Ryan Carroll relayed that residents have complained about the speed of vehicles as they proceed downhill on Hillside, toward South Main Street. Council stated that that traffic situation would be monitored to determine if a stop sign would be appropriate.

The board approved funds for a pair of projects, at the behest of Hibbert. He was given permission to spend $3,700 for the construction of a concrete slab in front of the town’s salt barn. Because the barn is too small for salt-delivery trucks to back into, the salt is currently dumped outside the structure, onto a stone surface, said Hibbert. He explained that if the salt were deposited onto concrete, it would make it easier to transfer it into the barn.

RH Construction will perform the work.

Hibbert also received authorization to spend up to $2,500 on landscaping for town hall. Hitzfield Landscaping was hired to do the job.
Council voted to formally make Hibbert the town’s utility superintendent at the meeting. Hibbert had been performing the duties of that job since February 2018, when the town’s former utility superintendent, Paul Swain, went on a leave of absence. The board amended Hibbert’s title to “superintendent of operations.”

In other business:

Council learned that the Roanoke Volunteer Fire Department would be holding a dedication ceremony for its new fire engine on Saturday, March 2, at 9 a.m. The board was also informed that Fire Chief Brandon Taylor is spreading the word that the department’s 2004 fire engine and 1996 engine are for sale.

Town Marshal Jim Wood informed council that the town’s new animal ordinance would be ready to approve at the next council meeting, March 5.

Carroll stated that he had listed town-owned property located east of U.S.-24, near the 900N intersection, for sale with commercial real estate firm Steffen Group, of Fort Wayne.