Summary of meeting with PSC CEO and James Construction President

Friends,

     Yesterday, in a Killeen meeting with David King, CEO of PSC Construction and Mike Kilgore, President of James Construction, this was discussed:

1.  The traffic problem that will be experienced when I-35 is detoured down the frontage roads.  Even for a short distance, it is going to present a problem.  "Traffic down the heart of Salado, is not a solution to this problem.  The two frontage roads will not support the traffic.  There will be accidents, injuries and deaths from the accidents, and people who are angry and frustrated.  Our citizens and customers will catch the blunt of this anger and frustration."

They agreed that immediately after this meeting in Killeen, they would travel to Salado to personally look at the problem.  They had a meeting with TEXDoT officials at 5:30 P.M. in Austin.

2.  Both officials said they were going to do all they could to get as much construction completed as possible before Thanksgiving, the beginning of serious Christmas shopping.  In response, "The bridge needs to be completed in three months not four.  Four months is too long for the Village.  We are especially concerned about I-35 traffic when school starts.  There is not money to pay our policemen overtime.  Daily, we need money to have more than one policeman on duty.  Protecting the safety and health of the Village is of great importance and straightforwardly, it cannot be done without our policemen working additional hours."

The officials agreed that the amount of traffic will cause disruption to parents trying to get their children to school.  They will look into the police contract that pays for policemen to work overtime on the construction site.  Response, "Our Policemen need additional hours during the day as well as night."

They agreed and will look into it immediately.

3.  The street between Wells Gallery and the Pizza Restaurant and runs between the Church of Christ and Municipal Building will be examined for repair and complete re-paving by James Construction at no cost to the village.

The officials will look at the street when they make their afternoon tour of Salado.

4.  Both officials repeated that "Salado has suffered enough from the construction and they will do all they can to complete the construction before Thanksgiving.  We realize that the Christmas season is especially critical to the Salado's business.  We are glad that Salado sent the letters to the Federal and State elected officials.  It helped to get us, the Village, and TEXDot on the same sheet."

Response:  "Good.  In the next few weeks, there will be a second letter with a construction update going to the same elected officials.  Salado appreciates the work that has been done on the construction the last months, but it cannot end.  We are serious about December and now before Thanksgiving.  Your work is your bond and keeping your schedule is of utmost importance.  Do this and we will be more than appreciative of your efforts."