Stanton : Award of Landscaping Contract Ends Dispute

New sidewalks and landscaping for Joel Avenue and Eileen Street have been approved by the City Council, ending a dispute that spanned several council meetings and two city surveys.

The council Tuesday night awarded a contract for the sidewalk project, expected to cost $79,350 to $91,000, to the DeArmond Construction Co. of Rancho Cucamonga.

In November, the city staff recommended that the contract be granted to DeArmond, which had submitted a low bid of $79,350 for curb side construction. But residents then began disputing the type of sidewalk they wanted--curb side or landscaped--and whether they wanted sidewalks at all.

Seeking to defuse the issue, the council ordered an independent survey of property owners on the two streets. The survey found that 75% of homeowners wanted sidewalks and 69% preferred curb side construction.

Then, at a December council meeting, Howard Downing, a Joel Avenue resident, told the council that he conducted a survey of the city’s survey and found that a teen-ager had been included. The council then ordered another survey by mail.

Roy Bruckner, director of community development, told the council Tuesday night that the mail survey, with a 65% response rate, found that 84% of Joel Avenue homeowners preferred sidewalks, as did 52% on Eileen Street. Without further ado, the council awarded the contract by a 4-1 vote, with Martha Weishaupt dissenting.