By Joni Simon
Contributing Writer

Summer’s here, which means street maintenance and water head the list of topics at Fair Oaks Ranch City Council.

“This was a record in approving these items,” Alderwoman Cheryl Landman said about two matters regarding street repair on the June agenda.

Council members had not-so-great memories of last summer, when rainy weather caused glitches.

“It’s unlikely we’re going to have a rain problem this year,” Alderman Frank Pickart said.

The weather is so dry, water restrictions might be in effect in July, Mayor Dan Kasprowicz said, and police Chief Scott Rubin says the police department is being proactive in enforcing watering regulations.

He told the council six or seven citations have been issued to residents, who were watering at the wrong time or on the wrong day.

Even without wet weather that can cause problems, prices for street work are higher this year, by 40 to 50 percent, according to Public Works Administrator Ronald Emmons. The council approved the low bid from Big Tex Paving at about $153,000, which is still over budget, Emmons said.

One alderman stated that he was concerned that the same streets are repaired annually.

“Maybe we shouldn’t throw money away every year,” Pickart said. “We spend $150,000 to $160,000, and there’s no guarantee it’s going to be done well. Maybe I have different expectations.”

City Administrator Roy Thomas said part of the problem last year was the use of aggregate material.

“I did change the aggregate usage this year,” he said. Rain caused problems in how the work dried, according to Emmons.

“Curing takes time. On the hills, it was a problem. When it cured, it cured into a bump or a lump,” he said. “Ideally, it’s put down and traffic is kept off of it for 24 hours, but because of the layout of our community, keeping traffic off it is not an option.”

The council also approved work repairing the rough street surface on Hansel between Battle Intense and Fair Oaks Parkway. The process involves removal of asphalt and replacing it with new asphalt, according to Thomas. The work costs about $22,650, or $26 a yard.

“If there is base deterioration, there’ll be an extra cost,” Thomas said.

Buttons and striping cost an extra $3,000.

“Small striping jobs are extremely expensive,” Thomas told the council.

“But if you don’t put the buttons in, it’ll look like there’s something missing.”

The buttons are spaced every 20 feet. Mayor Pro Tem Conrad Fothergill agreed buttons are a good thing.

“They’re a deterrent for going over the line,” he said. “That’s really helpful at night.”

Thomas said there will be a two-day interruption when traffic will be re-routed as the work is being done.

Authorization of a contractor to proceed with the infiltration repair on the sewer system, not to exceed $50,000, was also given by the council.

“I’d like to make this an annual program. Fixing all problems you can’t see,” Emmons said.

Fothergill got the green light from his cohorts to proceed with upgrading the City Hall sign to high-quality granite.

“It’s the one final thing around City Hall that needs finishing up,” Fothergill said.