Town Hall takes citizens back to the bonds Saturday

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

Granite Shoals citizens will have a chance to learn about their road repairs and to make themselves heard at a Town Hall Meeting for Road Improvement Bond Update at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 29.

There is a lot to learn. Since Feb. 15, when hopes evaporated for a 55 percent match to $3 million in voter-approved road bonds, few council meetings have gone by without discussion of new surveys, new engineering study and, inevitable, cutbacks in the original plan to completely restore the three main north-south traffic arteries in the city.

The council is determined to go back to voters to affirm approval of a $3 million, rather than $6 million, project.

And so, they say it is time to let citizens dig in to all that has been learned and voice their own opinions. Whether they live on a street served by Valley View Lane, Prairie Creek Road or Phillips Ranch Road, citizens may want to know how their thoroughfare will be affected. Others may just want to know when they can expect any improvement.

The new Arterial Road Bond Committee will be in charge of the information exchange July 29 and in another meeting before the November affirmation election. The ad hoc committee was created June 27, with former city council member Eric Tanner heading a group that includes Eric Carvajal, Cory Hanneman, Tena Collier, Robin Deboard and former mayor Dennis Maier. All the data and options and results of previous citizen surveys and meetings are in their hands to share.

“We want to know what questions people still have,” said Tanner. “If we don't have the answers at this meeting, we will be working to answer all of them by the next.”

The meeting will be held at the Granite Shoals Fire Rescue building, 8410 West Ranch to Market Road 1431.