After 12 years and $323,000 in taxpayer funded engineering expenses, Shorewood’s administration staff still needs to demonstrate why the Shorewood Ravine project is necessary, how urgently it must be done, and whether the proposed solution justifies the cost.
Is this a genuine problem demanding a solution, or a solution that has spent 12 years looking for justification and more of your money? The Shorewood Lane Ravine Restoration project, identified as City Project 17-15, has been under consideration since at least 2014. The ravine is shown in green below and sits between 2 structures to the West and 2 structures to the East – none are at risk of flood damage per the engineers report.
The city’s engineer (Bolton & Menk) has been able to secure a total of $681,000 in outside funding but the cost of the project has soared to an estimated $800,000 projected cost (on top of the $323k already spent). Shorewood taxpayers would still be on the hook for an additional $119,000. If Council approves, Shorewood residents will end up paying a total of $442k ($323 + $119). Much more, if you consider grants are funded by residents through other forms of taxation. Then it’s $1.1M!!!
Confirmed Grants
$5,000 League of Minnesota Cities
$50,000 Hennepin County Opportunity Grant
$440,000 MnDOT State Aid Funding – up to 55% of total costs
$186,000 Hennepin County Cost Share Grant
$681,000 Total Confirmed Grants
City Council members are still waiting on information from Bolton & Menk and the administration regarding the rate of deterioration, risk assessment and the possibility of assessing the residents of the nearby properties (questions asked by Council Members Sanschagrin and DiGruttolo during the July 7th council meeting).
City Council members should also be asking:
- Why is there a sense of urgency now, after 12 years of consideration?
- Request a documented risk assessment. Should the city obtain independent review?
- Is this project a higher priority than other capital needs projects?
- Which other projects would need to be delayed or sacrificed to fund this project?
How did we get here? Should the City Council approve this project, and what evidence should guide that decision? Shorewood residents deserve to know what the city has learned from 12 years of planning and $323,000 in engineering expenses.
More importantly, how will the City Council and the administration prevent runaway engineering costs on future projects? Are we facing another Smithtown Ponds-type situation? And what are the implications for future Noble Road and Grant Lorenz Road flooding projects?
What do you think? Is Shorewood exercising appropriate oversight of taxpayer money? Share your views in the comments below.
