Dodge City approves road improvements surrounding senior center
Jul. 15—DODGE CITY — Senior residents of Dodge City can say goodbye to the cracks and potholes in the senior center parking lot after the town council approved a trio of roadway renovations to the area surrounding the center and Dodge City Town Hall.
On Thursday, July 13, councilmember Jerry Lynn presented the council with three separate quotes from Richard Cooper Asphalt and Paving with a combined total of $49,000 for the resurfacing of two sections of Howard Circle and the senior center parking lot.
The first estimate of $26,500 accounted for the leveling of the section of Howard Circle in front of town hall and a 1.5 inch asphalt overlay be added to the roadway's surface. An additional estimate of $20,500 would continue the same improvements be made to the western side of Howard Circle connecting to AL Hwy. 69. For an additional $2,500 the company said it would be able to remove the sections of broken asphalt in the senior center parking lot and have them replaced with two inches of asphalt.
The town also provided an update on improvements to the basketball court in Ray Park. After tabling the discussion last month to allow council members time to decide if new goals should be included in the project, the council decided to proceed with its original plan after learning how troublesome the intended replacement goals could be. The council believed the variable height goals would not only present challenges by needing a municipal employee to adjust the goals, but also had concerns about the safety and durability of the goals which led to the decision to leave the current fixed height goals in place.
The town approved a $9,100 bid from Hood Brothers Concrete to pour the 50' x 90' concrete slab to form the court. Lynn said he was told work was scheduled to begin around the end of the month and should be completed with three or four days. The council also approved to pay an additional $1,600 to Hood Brothers to repair the park's sidewalks.
The council tabled discussions on installing additional playground equipment in the park. Mayor Jason Burney shared how he thought it would be wise to see the basketball court project through to completion before approving any additional projects within the park.
However, it was decided to allow for up to $7,500 be used to repair two sections of the cable fencing separating the park from the nearby bluff face. The council also approved Johns's suggestion of organizing a movie night in the park.
With the council's approval of a $500 budget for the event, details will now need to be hashed out, but Johns said she would be aiming for a date sometime in August. She said she had previously discussed the event with leaders at the nearby Life Church and said they have already agreed to assist the town by providing drinks and popcorn during the screening.
In other business the council:
* Renewed the annual Township Deputy agreement with the Cullman County Sheriff's Office to retain Deputy David Pitts.
* Renewed its AirMed Care E
* vac. agreement.
* Amended its billboard agreement with James Hays Jr. to allow another party take over the $1,000 dollar payments until the contract expires in 2027.
