MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Board of Control on Tuesday approved a change order totaling $46,128.78 to fund additional, necessary work in the West End Neighborhood Improvement Plan.
The $1 million Phase One of the public-private partnership project calls for Glessner Avenue streetscape beautification improvements, an effort scheduled for completion by the end of summer.
Construction on the site began began in March.
Adrian Ackerman, the city’s community development & housing director, told the Board of Control several items not included in the original project plan needed to be added.
She said the items were discovered during an on-site visit last week.
“A utility manhole was discovered that is abandoned. So we need to fill that in.
“In the original plans, we did not address drainage from the residences. So that’s a piece that we obviously need to address. We don’t want to create problems for these property owners and drainage issues,” Ackerman said.
Ackerman said additional landscaping in some areas was being added and that an existing retaining wall needed to be removed and replaced near the corner of Glessner Avenue and Wood Street.
Ackerman said construction bids for the project came in $70,000 less than estimated and that $46,128.78 is available.
The first phase is updating and upgrading sidewalks, installing new street lighting and improving/updating crosswalks (including ADA-compliant curb ramps), as well as adding retaining walls and more decorative elements such as tree lawns and other beautification efforts.
The overall neighborhood plan, created by EDGE Landscape, Architecture, Urban Design and Planning, is aimed at improving an area whose geographic boundaries are generally Marion Avenue/Park Avenue West to the west and north; South Main Street to the east; and Glessner Avenue to the south.
OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, 335 Glessner Ave., anchors the west end of the neighborhood while St. Peter’s Church and School on West First Street occupies the east end.
The bulk of the money for the project is coming via the city’s federal Community Development Block Grant funds.
The plan focuses specifically on the public right-of-way of the streets within the West End neighborhood, which “will allow the city to align and prioritize potential funding opportunities toward the most impactful improvement projects.”
The West End Neighborhood Plan was initiated in April 2020. An advisory group was established with representatives from the City of Mansfield, the Richland County Land Bank and the Richland County Development Group.
Also on Tuesday, the Board of Control:
— approved contracts for asphalt repaving in city’s Municipal Parking lot, as well as concrete work at Adams and Third streets related to the repaving. The board approved a $136,002 deal with Asphalt Services of Ohio in Columbus and $45,073 with Smith Paving & Excavating from Norwalk for the concrete. The total project had been approved by City Council for around $181,000.
— approved two change orders totaling $18,106.49 related to a remodeling project aimed at providing safer sleeping quarters for firefighters in Station 1. The construction plan is converting a dormitory style arrangement to 10 individual bedrooms for firefighters and paramedics.
One change at $5,107.30 will add additional temperature controls for the sleeping quarters. The second will add a fire control and alarm system through Schmidt Security for $12,999.19.
— pushed to May 17 a request to spend $937,742 for six new city trucks, all of which can be used year-round and also for snow plowing in the winter.
Plans discussed by the control board include two Freightliner 108SD dump trucks ($368,310), two Ford G650 trucks ($340,548) and two Ford F550 dump trucks ($224,884).
Funds to pay for the trucks will come from a combination of American Rescue Plan Act revenues, street maintenance capital account and the sewer repair capital account.
