Kim Habicht, Central City.  Multiple community members spoke out against a proposed ordinance which would allow off-highway vehicles on specific routes in Central City at a meeting on July 17.

Off-highway vehicles include snowmobiles, golf carts, military vehicles, and vehicles commonly used for transport over water or snow. The proposal would allow vehicles on Eureka, H, Prosser, Bourion, Bridge, Main, and Lawrence Streets.

The ordinance was ultimately rejected, by a vote of 4-1.

“We don’t see it as a benefit to the community,” said one commenter. He cited the deaths that have resulted from the vehicles as one of the reasons he was opposed.

At a previous meeting on June 5, 2018, the council voted to name an existing unnamed roadway “McCool Road,” after the city’s first mayor, John S. McCool. The roadway was previously referred to as “Dam Road,” which caused confusion, as there are multiple Dam Roads in the city. The new name designation will ensure that emergency responses and commercial endeavors go smoothly, and it will also facilitate the installation of the adventure course that is going to be on the road.

The council approved a contract between the City and Dietzler Construction, which will green-light construction on water diversion structures at Miner’s Gulch, Peck’s Gulch and Broomfield Gulch.

The bid, which was chosen out of three, is for $438,396.88. The work should be completed by September 30 of this year.

On a June 27 meeting, another bid totaling $313,275.50 was awarded to Avery Asphalt, Inc. for the Central City Spring Street Rehabilitation Project. The project will include the construction of concrete curbs, gutters, sidewalks and storm inlets.

Judge Gloss resigned, effective July 31. There are two potential candidates to fill the position. The council will meet with the two individuals prior to appointing them.

The deadline for registration for candidates for the November 6 election is on August 27, at 5 p.m. Two aldermen seats and one mayor seat, all with four-year terms, are open. Petitions for candidacy are available at the Central City Clerk’s Office.

Steve Boulter and John Zimpel have both been elected to Central City’s Business Improvement District Board until 2022, and Jeff Hentschel has also been elected to serve until 2020. They were signed in at a meeting on July 17.

City Attorney Marcus McAskin introduced an ordinance that authorizes the city manager to include 16 properties in the Business Improvement District (BID) that have been excluded, and to then re-exclude them. The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure that properties not included in the BID will not be subject to the operating mill levy nor any other taxes imposed on the BID. The resolution was unanimously approved.

The council also approved a resolution to ensure the annual Hot Rod Hill Climb Event can continue for the next three years. The event is a two-day hot rod streetcar event and will take place September 14-16, 2018, on Main Street and Spring Street.

A portion of the Virginia Canyon Road project will be postponed until after the winter, due to concerns from both the contractor and the city about weather interference. The project will still continue, it will just be phased.

Repair is also underway on Prosser Road.

Central City’s council meetings take place at 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at City Hall.

(Originally published in the July 26, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)