"You tore it all up" said Butler city council guest Mary Gifford referring to the current condition of Rice Road in southwest Butler "It's bumpy and dusty and people still go 90 to nothing" as she went on to drill for answers as to why the road condition is so bad.
However, it may simply be a case of miscommunication, or maybe a lack thereof. The matter was heavily debated with a plan laid out to fix the issues prior to February of 2024 when a Facebook post advertised a "2 bedroom, 1 bath pothole for rent" on Rice Road. Not alongside the road mind you, but in the road as the tire eating craters continued to grow.
At the time, Mary's son Bryon, noted that living along the 'fault line' was getting unbearable which revealed a possible cause as to why repairs had not been completed- and that is, both the township and the city have to share expenses to maintain it. That's right, Butler literally owns from the center to one side and Mount Pleasant Township owns the other half from a stretch that goes from 52 highway to about the railroad crossing at the curve south of Jones Brothers Lumber.
Discussions then began on how to proceed and work began on the road in August, 2024 which included several variables- one, the township would pay for half and the city pay the other half. Also, the severely deteriorated condition of the road meant that a solid roadbed would need to be 'rebuilt' which would take some time; at least a year in fact, as the road was excavated/leveled, graveled and let drivers pack it for about a year before following with a chip and seal making the project complete. It was noted that without allowing the road to be packed for about a year, the new pavement would fall apart shortly after it was put in place.
Gifford asked Police Chief Jarrett Wheatley if something could be done about those who speed on Rice Road and that answer was a bit complicated, as the city can only enforce speed on half the road (center to one side) as well. Wheatley did say he would do what he can to step up enforcement.
Money to complete the project came into the discussion as well and it was again noted that the city and township will each need to kick in their part as previously discussed. As the discussion wound down, Mayor Henry asked City Administrator Corey Snead to re-enter a discussion with the township to insure that everyone is "on the same page". It is assumed Snead will provide a report in the upcoming August 19 session.
In other council news, the Butler Historical Preservation Commission received a $15,000 donation from Dr. Curtis Long which hill be used for historical murals to be placed around the city.
Utilities, primarily electricity costs, are going up in the near future. According to Administrator Snead there hasn't been a significant increase for a very long time and unfortunately, as with everything else, an adjustment will have to be made. This too will certainly be a part of upcoming council discussions with more details to follow.
Thanks were paid to Blake Talley, owner of American Dream Spray Foam for their contribution to sidewalk rehab being done on the southeast corner of the square next to the Green space park. Work is expected to be complete in the next few weeks.
Snead also reported that the hunt for new business, primarily a grocery store, is ongoing but prospects are dwindling. He spoke to owners of the Aldi chain but was informed that Butler didn't meet their demographic. So, the search continues.
A grant application has been submitted that would greatly help with street improvements in Butler. Now, we wait for an answer.
As of late the disposition of the old Butler high school has been a hot topic of debate as the old building is in dire need of costly repairs. It was announced that the EPA will be doing an assessment of asbestos and other hazards then will provide a full report so anyone thinking about purchasing the old alma mater will know exactly what they getting into.
Reminder, the Butler city wide cleanup will happen during the week of September 8-12 following city wide garage sales as usual. Details on what can be placed at the curb will be made available soon.
Fort Scott street near the Boy Scout park has some subterranean issues related to crumbling infrastructure below the street and repairs need to be done soon before there is an all out collapse of the street. A timeline for the repairs will be available soon and commuters likely will need to find an alternate route when work begins in coming months.
Remember, the Butler city council meets on the first and third Tuesdays, 7 pm, upstairs at city hall. The public is always highly encouraged to attend.
