On this week's installment of Ask The Mayor, Mayor Bill Dory addresses these issues and more. Listen to the full conversation with Indiana Newsdesk anchor Joe Hren by clicking on the play button above, or read some of the questions and answers below.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Hren: Summer construction projects are underway, I see Washington Street is included?
Dory: We just bid out our street resurfacing and sidewalk projects. So those will be getting underway anytime soon now. We'll be doing about $130,000 of sidewalk repairs and handicap ramps around the community. This is an ongoing effort. We're about three years away from completing all the handicap ramps. We'll be resurfacing about nine streets.
Hren: The Washington Street was paved a year ago though?
Dory: Part of that work included grinding off the surface and at that time we found out there wasn't much base under the street so an attempted repair was tried, unfortunately it didn't work.
Hren: I was looking back in the Graphic-Banner and see the city had a discussion about traffic and parking on Franklin and Vine streets. Is that a viable concern?
Dory: They are a viable concern, but they're somewhat intermittent. Couple of the intersections we're looking into whether change a two way stop intersection to a four way stop intersection. Right now based on current traffic counts, we do not meet the requirements in the uniform traffic control manual, but we'll still taking a look at it.
Hren: The exciting part is that most of the Stellar work grant is done, now you hope to see it all pay off. Are you seeing any indications of that?
Dory: Now the pressure is on us to capitalize on all this investment and our previous partnerships with the state. We do have some new businesses coming in. A new restaurant, tavern Tap House 24 that will be opening mid-summer. The candy store will be moving to Indiana Street. We also have another couple that is looking at opening an ice cream store as well.
Hren: I see Nancy Mark has been hired as the county director of tourism, what kind of work does she have cut our for her in this area?
Dory: I'll be meeting with her shortly, I feel like we have to go after the low hanging fruit. That is, to encourage people who live within a 50 to 75 mile radius to come pay us a visit. Capitalizing on the events we have occurring that could be attractive to folks outside the community.
Hren: I see there's still talk of a community center YMCA although still in the study phase, is it too early to talk about expectations or the reality of the project?
Dory: We had a meeting the other day to kind of lay the foundation. It was announced the Putnam County Hospital also wants to be a partner with us and we have since prepared and signed memorandums of agreement with both the YMCA and the hospital. We're also about 99 percent done with the request for qualifications that will probably be mailed out later this week to architectural firms so we can start that interview process and get a designer on board so we can take the next step forward.
