Council approves trail funding in split vote

Columbus Area Bicentennial Commission co-chairs Diane Doup, from left, and Tobi Herron with Redevelopment Commission President Al Roszczyk and Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop take part in a groundbreaking ceremony for the 1821 Trail bicentennial project at the corner of First and Jackson streets on Dec. 28, 2021.

Republic file photo

Columbus City Council has voted to fund a major bicentennial project, though there are concerns about how the project will be funded.

Columbus City Council approved a resolution Tuesday authorizing the Columbus Redevelopment Commission to contribute $683,741.75 from the Certified Technology Park Fund to the 1821 Trail. The vote was split 5-2, with council members Grace Kestler and Frank Miller opposing the measure.

Redevelopment Director Heather Pope said that Hitchcock Design Group and American Structurepoint previously gave an estimate of $2.27 million for the project’s total cost — not including the cost of water main replacement or the preliminary design phase, which would make the total cost about $2.8 million.

However, a more recent summary from Pope, provided to The Republic after the meeting, shows a project total of about $1.94 million (with the water main and preliminary design phase included, as well as updated costs from the bid award).

“I know that we’re only being asked to approve the tech park fund,” Miller said. “And I understand that construction costs are exorbitant right now, and they continue to grow. … The total project, if it does indeed come in at $2.2 million, it seems like an awful big number for such a short trail.”

Pope responded by comparing the project to the State Street Trail, saying that these two areas are “some of our nicer trails.”

“When you think of the trail connection between Mill Race and Noblitt Park and up north, those are simply asphalt paths,” she said. “We’ve built this trail to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan standards, which is — for a multi-use trail, it needs to be a minimum of 10 feet in width, and that’s what we’ve provided here. I don’t think you see that in a lot of the other trails around the community.”

She added that the trail’s architectural elements also make it a destination.

In addition to discussing the project cost, Miller noted that TIF funds could cover the items being sourced through the tech park fund and free up the money for other uses.

Kestler also inquired as to the use of tech park funds, what these would go toward and what the commission would have done without them. Pope replied that the these dollars go toward the infrastructure piece of the trail. The second phase or “alternates,” on the other hand, are mainly being paid for through fundraising. Depending on the amount of money raised, the city will parse these down if need be.

“With regard to the infrastructure piece, what we’ve planned to do and taken on as the redevelopment commission is moving the curb, providing the electric for the architectural elements and things like that,” said Pope. “But if we don’t have enough funds, then we’ll have to definitely start drilling it back. And I would have to go back to the commission and ask if they would be willing to use more of the Central TIF funds toward this project if we are not able to use our certified tech park funds.”

As noted in a memo from Pope to the council, the commission has already approved putting $411,488 from the Central Allocation Area toward trail construction, along with the $683,741.75 from the tech park fund, for a total of $1,095,229.75. Of the two actions, only the tech park fund expenditure required council approval, as it exceeds $500,000.

The commission also engaged Hitchcock Design Group and American Structurepoint on multiple design phases for the project. In March of 2021, the firms were contracted complete a preliminary design phase with a not-to-exceed amount of $81,700. The commission then engaged the groups for two additional phases in September of 2021 with a cost of up to $158,800. The breakdown of estimated project costs also included $500 set aside for reimbursable services in design and engineering.

The Parks Foundation has granted $250,000 for the project, Duke Energy has granted $10,000, and Kenny Glass has donated $50,000. Pope said that these gifts will go toward the alternate bids and provide a starting base to raise funds for that piece of the project. The city has also raised funds through sales of engraved bricks. Redevelopment will fund some of the cost of alternates, depending on how much money is raised overall.

She added that Columbus City Utilities will cover the cost of utility repair on the project, possibly through American Rescue Plan funds.

The board of works recently voted to award the project to Dave O’Mara Contractors, which submitted the lowest base bid for the trail and water main replacement. The total project amount, counting both the base bid and other components such as historical markers, is $1,702,678.50, said assistant city engineer Andrew Beckort.