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By Candie Fix
Managing Editor 

Haxtun Town Council hears from Concrete Specialties about main street concrete damage

 

March 11, 2020



A lengthy discussion on the damage to Haxtun’s main street took up almost the first hour of a March 2 Haxtun Town Council meeting last week. The majority of the damage, in the 100 block of South Colorado Avenue, seems to be from expansion following the main street project that took place seven years ago.

The damaged curb and gutter became an issue last year, when pieces of the concrete began to break off, some in large amounts, mostly on the west edge of the street. When the issue arose, Town Superintendent Ron Carpenter began contacting businesses who were a part of the project in 2012. Representatives from the engineering firm who has since bought out the original firm who worked on the project visited Haxtun to examine the damage and diagnose the problem.

That firm followed up with a detailed report that some say points the finger at other contributors to the project. At the last meeting, Carpenter asked Alan Krier, with Concrete Specialties, to talk with board members about his thoughts on the damage.

Krier told the Council that he thinks the Town has a very nice looking main street and that overall, 90 percent of it is still in good shape, however, about 10 percent of it needs repairs. He said that unfortunately, that is due to the Colorado weather, where temperatures can range anywhere from below freezing to above 100. That, he noted, causes expansion in the concrete. Krier said other municipalities in the area have the same problem.

“It’s a temperature problem that you have with concrete,” he told the Council.

He added that the area of most concern is also one that sees the most sun and doesn’t get much shade during the hot portion of the year. Krier also noted that there is some damage from ATV use during snow removal.

“Concrete moves,” Krier added. “It moves, it grows and it shrinks.”

During the discussion, Council Member Brandon Biesemeier asked how the Town could fix the problem and hopefully prevent it from happening again down the road.

There was some talk, between Krier and the Council, about repairing the entire west side of the block in front of Town Hall and placeing additional expansion joints when doing so as well as adding a sealant agent to the joints. There was also talk about cleaning out an expansion joint in the middle of the street, which could possibly help with the concrete’s movement.

“We want to protect the investment,” Haxtun Mayor Todd Workman told Krier. “We need to stop the bleeding and save what we’ve got.”

Plans were for Krier to come back to Haxtun later in the week and meet with Carpenter to look at all areas of the project and see if there were things that could be done to help fix the problem, hopefully for the long run.

Later during the monthly March meeting, council members talked about the current swimming pool project and the possibility of constructing a new pool where the existing basketball court is now, just west of the current pool. Carpenter and Biesemeier said the pool committee recently met with Miller and Associates, who could render plans for a pool in that location, which would be similar to one in Oshkosh, Neb. The plans, they said, would cost $2,700, however, they are necessary in moving forward for permits as well as grants. The project would need approval by a number entities, including the health department. Without design drawings, the committee is at a standstill.

After the discussion, the Town Council voted to pay for the renderings from Miller and Associates with plans to get the ball rolling with the project.

The pool discussion sparked talk about replacing the basketball court, possibly at the park. Carpenter said there is an area where old trees were removed that a simple basketball court would fit. Plans were to also move forward with gathering information for that project.

During staff reports, Town Clerk Karie Wilson noted that spring clean-up is slated for the week of April 13 and that all dogs within the city limits are required to be registered with the Town of Haxtun by the end of April.

The following building permits were also approved: Damon Edwards, 545 East Raymond Street for a kitchen cabinet update; and Devron Adams, 242 North Logan Avenue for a detached shed.

 

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