According to Public Works Director James Corn, it is almost time to request bids for construction of the new public works office and police department. The design of the project is completed, and the next phase is to accept bids, which Corn estimated could happen as soon as Feb. 28.
Also moving forward are the Teddy Bear Park renovations, which are nearing completion with the exception of pouring the rubberized ground. According to Corn, the contractors only need a week of consistently good weather to pour the ground and allow it to set, and recent rains have continued to push back the completion of the improvements.
Energy company Entergy is also on track to move utility poles and lines underground ahead of work to align and widen Robinson Road. According to Corn, the movement of the utility lines is one of the more flexible aspects of the Robinson Road project timeline, but it is still on track to seek bids in the fall.
The council also agreed to deny rate increases from Entergy Texas as part of a coalition with other small cities, including Shenandoah. This is an annual occurrence between smaller cities and Entergy as part of a mediation process to determine rates for the next year and in an effort to prevent exponential rate increases, officials said.
The next Oak Ridge North City Council meeting will be held on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at 27424 Robinson Road, Oak Ridge North.
