Surprise City Council

[Source: Tony Lombardo, Arizona Republic] — Surprise City Council is asking city staff to better define a costly footbridge project in the Original Town Site before it signs off on the expenditure.  Lizard Run Park, two blocks south of Bell Road between Greasewood and Nash streets, is scheduled to receive a pedestrian footbridge and a community garden by June, according to the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.  The footbridge would cross a wash and connect the park to nearby facilities for Rio Salado College and Interfaith Community Care.

The cost of the bridge has been estimated at $300,000 to $400,000.  The city has $283,000 budgeted.  City staff asked the council on Aug. 14 to transfer $81,000 to the Lizard Run project from a defunct alley-paving project in the Original Town Site.  However, council members voted 5-1 against the move, instead placing the money in the council contingency fund.  Members reasoned that there was not enough information about the project to make a smart decision.  They agreed that the money should be placed in their contingency fund, which the council can allocate as it sees fit.  [Note: to read the full article, click here.]