LORAIN — City Council sent legislation approving an extra $108,000 to pay for paving and repairs to Jaeger Road back to the administration Monday night because they want more details on the project.

The extra funds, which would partially pay for work engineering firm KS Associates has already completed, would bring the project’s total cost to more than $900,000. The work is being paid for with tax incremental financing (TIF) funds.

TIF money is property tax money municipalities earmark for capital improvements, including urban areas that have been labeled as blighted. When businesses or developers build there, part of their property tax money is used to improve the infrastructure — hopefully encouraging even more development.

KS Associates Vice President Mark Skellenger told Council a clerical error had KS Associates completing some work without authorization from City Council to the tune of around $24,000. Other “unanticipated” construction issues required the rest of the $108,069.

There is still some debate among Council members about whether the project needs to include 8-foot sidewalks designed for walkers and bikers to share.

A big part of the project is realigning Jaeger Road where it intersects with Kolbe Road to increase visibility for oncoming traffic.

Council also discussed the cost of additionally aligning Longbrook Road to meet up with Jaeger Road where it intersects with Kolbe Road.

KS Associates came up with three options of moving the two roads — one goes through wetlands and the other two cut across residential property.

KS Associates vice president Mark Skellenger said adding Longbrook Road to the project will mean at least an additional $600,000 to close the 450-foot gap between the two streets as they each meet up with Kolbe Road.

Councilman Eddie Edwards, D-5th Ward, suggested lining up Longbrook and Jaeger roads would boost traffic access to Lighthouse Village, located north of Jaeger Road on state Route 58.

“Let’s do it right,” Edwards said. “It might cost a little bit more, but we’ll benefit from it down the road.”

Other Council members weren’t convinced a potential $600,000 price tag was worth it to close the 450-foot gap between the two streets.

The committee has asked KS Associates to provide a more detailed cost analysis of the entire project and it sent the legislation dealing with just part of the project back to the administration, leaving KS Associates without reimbursement for now.

“We understand when we work without proper authorization, we’re at risk for that,” Skellenger said.

Contact Alicia Castelli at 329-7144 or acastelli@chroniclet.com.

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