By KELSEY UNRUH

Staff writer

Hillsboro city council voted Tuesday to apply for a community development block grant for street reconstruction projects.

Streets considered for the grant include N. Washington, N. Lincoln, N. Jefferson, N. Birch, S. Birch, N. Cedar, and S. Cedar Sts.

The city is conducting a survey in the areas they want to reconstruct. At least 51 percent of the target area needs to qualify as low to moderate-income families.

“Primarily what we are looking at is defining a couple areas north of 1st St. to redo, rebuild some streets that are in not too good of shape,” city administrator Larry Paine said.

Darren Neufeld of EBH Engineering described the reconstruction project as putting down four inches of rock base and new six-inch pavement, fixing curbs, and gutters, intersections for ADA handicap accessibility, driveways from curbs to existing sidewalk locations, and resetting signs and mailboxes.

Neufeld also said that not every location on the list needed full reconstruction.

“When it comes down to it, will we have to redo the curb on the Jefferson block? No, we probably wouldn’t,” Neufeld said. “We might end up de-scoping a little bit so we wouldn’t end up with all parts of every street being redone.”

Two resolutions the council agreed on were to authorize the mayor to sign the application for the grant, and to assure the Department of Commerce that a proper budget for maintaining the streets would be made once they are constructed.

In other business:

• City council approved relief of rent for Salem Home from Oct. 1 to March 31, totaling $38,100.
• City council also approved a cereal malt beverage license for Dollar General in Hillsboro.