CRESCO, IA - Many of the people I talked with in Cresco seem to agree on one thing; 1st Avenue needs some work.
There are potholes and cracks everywhere, and in some places, you can literally tear the pavement off with your bare hands.
"I've been accessed $3,500," said 1st Ave. resident Juanita Grimm, and it's the cost that has people like her concerned. "I know one of the fellas that live along here said that, if he has to pay the $14,000 he's been accessed, they'll have to foreclose on his property."
With many of the residents retired and on fixed incomes, the 65%-35% split on the bill is, as Juanita says, too much.
"But it's still, it's $500,000, it's not inexpensive," said city administrator John Lloyd.
Despite a costly price tag, city leaders say they're not giving up on 1st Ave., but they're not giving up on the people living there either.
"What ended up happening is, we had everyone here said, no, we can't afford that,” said Lloyd, “so the city's paying for the storm sewer rehab, the intersections, as well as the storm water."
And they're switching to a 50-50 split with the residents, so when it's all said and done, it now looks more like 65 percent to the city, and 35 to the residents.
"This is a well used road, and the community's coming back and saying, we'll pick up that 65%," said Lloyd.
"I don't mind fixing the street, because 1st Ave. does need repairs," said Grimm.
They hope the compromise will seal the deal with those it effects most.
Lloyd says the council is set on the new plan and hopes to get underway in the spring.
Under the new figures, the folks living on the street will pay a total of about 170 thousand dollars, over ten years.
The actual costs for the project shouldn't start showing up on people's taxes until 2012.
