MISSOULA – The Missoula City Council will go back to the drawing board on how they handle sidewalk assessments at Wednesday’s Public Works committee meeting.
Buckling under pressure from the public, Missoula Mayor John Engen canceled a proposed sidewalk project last week that would significantly burden homeowners financially.
In one case, an assessment in the Slant Street neighborhood for a single property owner was nearly $40,000 for new sidewalks, curbs and gutters.
Mayor Engen said in a press release late Friday, the increasing costs of materials and challenging bid environment, along with a tight City budget, have inflated the price of infrastructure citywide.
The mayor says he’ll begin an internal review of the program this month in hopes of launching a less-expensive, strategic sidewalk plan for the city council to consider during the 2020 budget process.
The City Council’s Public Works Committee will meet on Wednesday, December 12 to discuss the program and hear from citizens.
The meeting will begin at 2 p.m. in the Missoula City Council Chambers on West Pine Street.
