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Hobart residents anxious for Third Street to reopen will have to wait just a little bit longer, city officials said Wednesday.
A nationwide cement shortage has put a cramp in infrastructure projects all over, City Engineer Phil Gralik told the Common Council during its Sept. 7 meeting. One of cement’s main ingredients comes from Eastern Europe — primarily Russia — and the Ukraine-Russia War has hindered its export, he said.
Because of that, cement companies are being extremely judicious with the supply they still have, he said.
“Smith Ready Mix and Ozinga have been rationing cubic yards per project, per week,” he said. “And it’s not just us — Griffith has been redoing all its sidewalks, and that’s now taking much longer.”
Gralik said workers have had enough cement to pour the curbs, but drive approaches and sidewalks will take longer. Just how much longer, however, is the sticking point.
“If the work stretches into weeks, we would consider opening (Third) back up to traffic, but if it’s days, we should leave it closed,” he said.
Councilman Dave Vinzant, D-4, asked Gralik if there were any other plans that might have wrenches thrown in them; Gralik said 82nd Avenue might be affected.
In other business, the council approved the salary ordinances for city workers, police and fire departments. In a time where money’s tight, Mayor Brian Snedecor praised the police and fire departments for working on other ways to entice new employees into the ranks.
“Hobart’s an attractive place to work,” he said. “We’re not the lowest-paid anymore, and we’ve made strides, but we don’t want to slide back.”
Snedecor also acknowledged that Hobart Fire Chief Randy Smith has the challenge of staffing four fire houses across the city.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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