City moving forward with walkway

The Russellville city council passed a resolution Monday night honoring the Frosty Inn for 50 years in business. | Jonathan Willis/FCT

The Russellville City Council voted Monday to move forward with plans to put a pedestrian crosswalk at the city schools complex.

The walkway will connect Russellville Middle School and the high school, crossing over Summit Street.

The city was approved for a federal grant in the Fiscal Year 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

Because the project will be built with federal funds, environmental approval will be required before work begins.

The $375,000 project is an 80-20 local match, meaning the city will be responsible for about $75,000 of the crosswalk’s costs.

“Since this will be connecting school campuses, we will need to get the school board involved with the aesthetics of the finished product,” City Councilman Jeff Masterson said.

“As much as I wanted to get this built this summer, realistically, the construction phase won’t start until summer break 2011. This is very important for the safety of our students and future students for years to come.”

In other business, the council:

• passed a resolution honoring the RHS girls’ varsity basketball team.

• passed a resolution honoring the Frosty Inn for 50 years in business.

• passed a resolution recognizing City Clerk Kim Wright for 25 years of service to the city.

• passed a resolution thanking the local utility boards for sponsoring the annual 4th of July celebration at Sloss Lake.

• approved donating the sales tax receipts taken in at the recent circus back to the Foster Grandparents Program, who sponsored and hosted the event.

• passed an ordinance declaring an auction to sell surplus property at 10 a.m. on June 5 at Fire Station #2.