SOUTH DUNDAS – The mayor of South Dundas is less than impressed with how the United Counties is handling paving work on a main county road in his municipality.
During Monday’s SD&G council meeting, Coun. Stephen Byvelds (South Dundas) questioned why the county would pave two kilometers of County Road 31 from Williamsburg to Garlough Road.
He says there was “some assumption” during budget talks there would be a longer section paved.
There is also a section to be paved from at Winchester from County Road 3/43 to the Ottawa boundary, which Byvelds says was originally supposed to be done from County Road 13 north, closer to Harmony.
“(County Road) 31 north of Williamsburg, the stretch was all paved one time right to Winchester Springs and, being very familiar with the road, I would say it’s in excellent condition. Why are we doing things a little different?” Byvelds asked.
Staff believe the revisions were done to keep within budget.
However, Byvelds was not satisfied.
“My unprofessional opinion, I don’t see the sense of doing two kilometers on that stretch of road which is no different from the rest of the seven kilometers going to the Winchester Springs. So, why the switcheroo (sic)? Let’s show us the reasons. I know I’m being very fussy and I know that road very well,” Byvelds said.
“I just don’t have the answer for council and I apologize. I don’t have the answer in front of me right now,” Transportation Director Ben de Haan replied.
While saying he was disappointed with the answer, Byvelds still accepted the $751,802 micro surfacing contract. The contract was a joint tender between SD&G and South Dundas with the county paying $433,088 and South Dundas paying $318,714 for work on its municipal roads.
The other roads in the county portion of the contract were County Road 41 from County Road 8 to Nudell Bush Road and County Road 18 from County Road 20 in Martintown to the eastern village limits.