By Mary Alice Murphy

Joel Miller, assistant to contractor TLC superintendent Greg Meyers, led the meeting.

"The concrete scheduling for the next 30 days includes finishing the retaining walls now until the end of August on the southbound side," Miller said. "The next thing is to finish the grade work to add the concrete curbs and gutter on the southbound side from 32nd Street back to Pine Street. Then we start the flat work."

Work is ongoing on the existing utilities with the storm sewer trunk lines being installed. Miller said the existing water line is in conflict with the storm drains, so they are having to isolate the water lines. Concrete barriers are being placed along the storm sewer. After the water lines are installed, the next step is to install the service lines to the homes and businesses.

The contractor plans to grade finish the road southbound to Pine from 32nd Street and place base course in September.

"After that we will work highway 180 to Kimberly," Miller said. "Hopefully we will have the service lines in place by then. Rain events have delayed our work, as well as conflicts with the water, electric and fiber optic cables."

An audience member asked if TLC had been in communication with CenturyLink.

"Yes, we had to raise the fiber optic cable, because it was encased in steel," Meyers said. "The telephone and cable running down Pine also require a little bit of work."

An audience member said she had tried calling the CenturyLink number, but no one was answering.

"Let me know and I'll call them," Meyers said.

A man and woman said that PNM had moved a pole on their property. "PNM needs to get the one on the corner and move the wires up to the pole in my backyard," the man said.

A woman said a couple of streetlights are out near McDonald's. Meyers said PNM still had a few poles to remove.

"We're dealing with issues the residents and businesses are having," Miller said. "And we will continue doing that."

Meyers said new pavement would be going in where driveways had been broken up and property disturbed. "We will be putting in vegetation and seeding after the project is done."

A woman said the workers had taken out her clean outs and broke up the asphalt. "We'll replace what we broke," Miller said.

Miller told the Beat that because the fiber optic was encased in steel, they were having to lift it at the intersection at Pine and going under it with the storm drain.

To a question about the roadway being raised, he said it is definitely raised at 32nd Street and for the most part is being raised a little bit, although some portions will be lowered.

When asked when completion is expected, Miller said they hope by June or July 2019, but the projection is into August. "We want to get it done earlier."

He said the next update is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10, at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center.