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Roundabout talks continue at City Council

Roundabout or no roundabout?

Well, maybe.

Warren City Council on Monday approved a maintenance agreement with PennDOT regarding the proposed roundabout at the intersection of Market St. and Pennsylvania Ave.

But, newly-appointed council member John Lewis called for a recall vote on the November selection of the roundabout by council.

Mayor Maurice Cashman said the recall vote would be on the agenda for the next meeting.

Department of Public Works Director Mike Holtz said that PennDOT “now requires that the city enter into an agreement” for “year round maintenance of specific components of the roundabout.”

City Manager Nancy Freenock said that PennDOT has agreed to maintain the truck apron portion of the roundabout and “my maintain, I mean, as far as (replacing) concrete.”

“All of it is the city’s except for the truck apron,” Holtz said. “That little piece will be PennDOT’s. They are taking… that component.”

“The truck apron sounds important,” Councilman Paul Giannini said. “Do we want PennDOT to take care of it?”

“When was the last time they replaced anything on Pennsylvania Ave.?” he added.

“I have concerns here,” Councilman John Lewis said. “I’m going to address it very frankly. We’re being asked to sign a membership agreement and we do not know what we’re maintaining. We really, really should not approve any kind of maintenance agreement until we know what we’re maintaining.”

“You’re not going to get that,” Holtz said.

“If not, (then we) should reconsider because it has not been thought out well,” Lewis said, questioning whether anyone has really tested the concept of a roundabout in that intersection.

“PennDOT has to get all their paperwork signed so they can have a consultant put more meat on the drawing,” Holtz said.

Freenock noted that PennDOT didn’t make a recommendation for the intersection because officials felt that the “decision was so close.”

Councilman Gregory Fraser made a motion to approve the maintenance agreement and “that we task the appropriate city authorities to sign the maintenance agreement.”

The measure passed 4-3 with Fraser, Phil Gilbert, Richard Kolcharno and Maurice Cashman voting in the affirmative and Lewis, Giannini and Jim Zavinski in opposition.

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