Tripping Up Going Down at Town Center
Sep 05, 2015 03:50PM ● By Rhett Wilkinson
Councilman Steve Barnes does not think it was worth debating broken pavers at the town center. Photo courtesy South Jordan City
Pavers have shifted at Towne Center in South Jordan due to ground settling, and roots have grown under the sidewalk. Then, the pavers are breaking down because of salt used in the winter. The city will remove and replace about 20 pavers and heat tape will be installed under all pavers.
One councilman thinks that it’s much ado about very little.
“As a governing board of elected officials, I think we need to be more concerned with the overall guiding vision of the city than talking about pavers on a sidewalk and trusting that we have the staff in place to professionally take care of the little things that come up from time to time,” said Steve Barnes, the councilman. “Oftentimes, the council gets bogged down in micromanagement of little issues, and really, the fact that we have talked about pavers is a bit silly.”
Fixing the pavers had already been approved, but in a recent meeting, Mayor Dave Alvord was going back and forth about it, Barnes said.
The council indeed allocated $220,000 to level the pavers and make other fixes where needed. The decision came after the council deliberated stained concrete and decided that wasn’t the best aesthetic. That decision was made in favor of replacing them with concrete, Alvord said.
“There was a cost concern and aesthetic concern,” he said. “(The pavers) are less than 10 years old.”
Business owners have complained about the trees blocking signage to their businesses and the roots issue.
Alvord is not sure when the work will be completed. Once the city’s contractor gives a bid that’s “reasonable,” the city will get to work. That will happen within the next 12 months, Alvord said.
Also, the trees in front of the buildings will be removed and replaced with smaller trees.
City leaders have still not decided what to do with the fountain, which began leaking badly while in use. Effort has been made to locate the leak, but the city has been unsuccessful. A decision will be made in a meeting within the month, Alvord said.
