The City is also hoping to save some money by combining the asphalt overlay improvements for both Pleasant Valley Road and Oak Ridge Circle to the same bid package. Currently, the only engineer’s cost available is for the East Main Street project which is projected at $453,400. Two of the projects, East Main Street and Pleasant Valley Road, are proposed to be covered in by the Proposition 1B Funds, which will also be up for discussion. Kerr explains that, Prop 1B otherwise known as the “Transportation Bond, Senate Bill 88 (SB 88), the trailer bill and Assembly Bill 196 (AB 196) appropriated $400 million to counties and $550 million to cities.” However the Prop 1B language is broad in terms of how the funds can be used in respect to the Local Streets and Roads (LSR) bond proceeds. The language is clear that the funds have to be expended within three fiscal years, meaning that all Prop 1B LSR monies appropriated in Fiscal Year 2007-08 must be expended by June 30, 2011.

Each city and county is required to submit to the Department of Finance a list of projects they wish to be funded with the bonds before an allocation is made. Of the $950 million in Prop 1B funds, $400,000 is allocated to the City of Ione. The projects include widening the storm drain and curb, gutter, and sidewalks of East Main Street at an estimated cost of $325,000; asphalt concrete overlay of all of Pleasant Valley Road at an estimated cost of $80,000; and Ione Street from SR104 to the school – widening the curb, gutter, and sidewalk on one side and asphalt concrete overlay at an estimated cost of $50,000. The City Council is expected to approve the submission of the list of projects to the State Department of Finance at their meeting Tuesday night.