(KLZA)-- Around 40 people attended a special city council meeting in Pawnee City week to discuss street issues and possible solutions. 

Brad Slaughter with Ameritas Financial discussed funding options and Pawnee City Street Engineer Evan Wickersham with JEO Engineers discussed the streets. The goal is to replace about 36 blocks of asphalt streets with concrete.

City Clerk Tammy Stephens said it was an excellent meeting with lots of good questions from the citizens in attendance.

In 2011, JEO did a street study. It would need to be updated. Estimates are that a large-scale project could cost $2-million or more. How to pay for the project is a big concern. If the project goes forward, the costs would be assessed city wide, not just to the properties adjacent to the improved streets. The City will also be looking at highway allocation funds, possibly increasing the sales tax a half a percent with the added funds earmarked for street improvement is a possibility. 

It was the consensus of those in attendance, not to piece-meal the project. The preference was to make the project big enough that you tell something has been accomplished.

The meeting was for questions and answers only. No decisions have been made. Stephens said the public will be involved in the final decision, noting that another public hearing would be scheduled once the streets to be included have been identified.  

The proposed project is for residential streets in Pawnee City. Streets in the downtown area are in pretty good shape at the present time.