A hefty price tag to update the 2014 Union Pacific Railroad Quiet Zone report by Bolton & Menck, Inc. at more than $11,000 over budget, has resulted in a delay. At Monday night’s Carroll City Council meeting, questions were raised by several council members about why the estimate of $8,900, which was supplied by Bolton & Menk in 2019, was now coming in at $20,150. Carolyn Siemann broached the topic of the significant increase to project manager, James Leiding.
Siemann cited the current budget book and says at that time, they should have received an estimate based on 2021 dollars. She also asked about going back to the table on the price.
Leiding says he believed the update would have been moving ahead in just a few months after the estimate was presented and the 2021 costs were therefore not factored. Siemann, along with council members LaVern Dirkx and Clay Haley believe it is more prudent to wait until their budgeting process for the next fiscal year is complete before moving ahead with the study and the possible implementation of train horn mitigation methods. Haley says this does not change the fact that he is an advocate for introducing quiet zones where possible.
Councilman, Mike Kots, did not agree with his colleagues.
Kots adds he worries about the perception they are kicking the subject of train horn mitigation down the road for $20,000. Haley adds he will be behind Kots in pushing this forward after the budget review is done. The council did approve tabling the decision on updating the quiet zone study and to bring it back for discussion and action at a March meeting. This passed on a vote of five in favor and one, Kots, against.
