The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

By Candie Fix

[email protected]

The Town of Haxtun will ask voters to approve a $1.9 million street project during an election this November. Plans are to pave approximately 42 blocks of streets next year. The project would be partially funded with the current one-percent sales tax already in place with no increase in taxes to taxpayers.

The Town of Haxtun has also applied for a grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation Main Street Revitalization program. Those grant funds would allow for paving Colorado Avenue from Strohm Street at the Haxtun Fire Hall north to Haxtun Schools, including the grade school parking lot. That portion of the project is projected to cost $433,000 of the project.

On the November ballot, Haxtun citizens will be asked two questions:

• Should the Town of Haxtun incur debt of $1.5 million for a major street project payable from its existing one percent sales tax? and

• Could the Town of Haxtun use the half a percent sales tax already in place for Community Center maintenance for additional street repairs for five years? After five years, the one and a half percent would be allocated back to the Community Center fund.

Current funding for streets

In 2010, the citizens of Haxtun approved a one percent sales tax designed to fund the payments on the current Colorado Avenue Improvement Bond. It also helps to fund repairs and maintenance on local streets. The remaining funds are used for yearly repairs and maintenance and are approved within the annual budget.

Current street bond debt

The current debt owed on the street bond project is $276,205 with 4.9 percent interest. Monthly payments, with interest, are $6,010.25 a month.

If the two ballot questions above are approved by voters this November, the Haxtun Town Council would like to pay off the current street bond in full, with cash on hand, before the new bonds are issued.

$1.5 million bond debt payment

With a $1,500,000 project cost on a 20 year bond note with four percent interest the annual payment would total $110,372 or $9,197 per month, including interest.

The Town of Haxtun hosted an informational town hall meeting last week with a special meeting to follow. At that time, Council members officially voted to put the street project on the November ballot.

For a complete list of streets included in the proposed street project, see the map attached.

W. Strohm St. (Joe Ave. to Colorado Ave.)

Max Ave. (from W .Fletcher to W. Strohm)

N. Edmund Ave. (W. Strohm to gravel)

Miller Ave. (W. Strohm St. to W. Fletcher St.)

W. Grant St. (Colorado Ave. to Westridge Ave.)

Colorado Ave. (Strohm to Haxtun Elementary School)

W. Chase St. (Hwy. 59 to Colorado Ave.)

Iliff St. (Lava Ave. to Iris Ave.)

Wayne Ave. (Bryan St. to Strohm St.)

S. Utah Ave. (W. Fletcher St. to Smith Road)

S. Utah Ave. (Hwy. 6 to Second Street)

North and South Logan Ave. (Smith Rd. to Powell St.)

E. Raymond St. (Hwy. 59 to Lincoln Ave.)

N. Walker Ave. (Chase St. to Wilson St.)

S. Logan Ave. (Hwy. 6 to CHS)

W. Fletcher St. (Miller Ave. to Joe Ave.)