Construction based scams are a sign of the changing seasons, as homeowners prepare to patch up their property after the damaging winter weather.

Construction scammers feed on the spring thaw, during which property owners can find themselves conned into shoddy or incomplete work.

One common scam, which follows a similar model as other construction scams, deals with driveway paving and seal coating.

"People pull up and say they have extra blacktop," explained Paul Watts, owner of WT Paving in Lebanon. The companies will then solicit work for what is presented as a discounted price, as a way to get rid of the supposed surplus.

"It's usually more than we charge anyhow," said Watts, who explained that legitimate businesses are often too busy to need to solicit work. "Ninety-nine percent of blacktop companies which are reputable will not come knocking on your door to get your driveway paved," he said.

Often, companies who do solicit are from out of the area. Watts recalled a company from Buffalo, N.Y., coming to Lebanon County to solicit work using low-quality materials.

"It makes the reputable companies look bad," said Watts, whose company has gone through the licensing process mandated by the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act.

Construction scams such as these are often seasonal and take place when home improvement work is common.

"In the summer, we've had some driveway pavement scams," said Chief Bruce Harris of the Cornwall Borough Police Department.

Some other construction-based scams Harris mentioned were installing lightning rods on barns, soliciting for roofing projects and what he called "distraction theft," which occurs "once the weather warms up."

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Construction scams heat up with warmer weather

DETURKSVILLE Although constructing a Washington Township municipal building had been discussed for years, it was only upon the insistence of then-resident Wendell Gainer that a decision to take the first step was finally agreed to August 2010.

As of the Feb. 16 meeting, the project was in the planning stage. On the request of Gainer, now a township supervisor, the office building will be on the March 16 agenda for discussion.

Grass

With spring right around the corner, the board agreed it was time to advertise for mowing and maintenance of the recreational park and the grounds around the garage. The advertisement would state that interested bidders should contact Roadmaster Gary Neidlinger to set up an appointment for a walk-around the areas involved.

Gary Brown, a lawn care specialist and owner of Little Bugger, was one of last years bidders. He requested the board be consistent with job specifications.

The person who won because he was the lowest bidder wasnt expected to do all the work, Brown said.

Although Brown did not elaborate, he had said last fall that the contract the supervisors had approved had not been fulfilled.

Hes not billed for (all) the items which he won the bid on, Brown said, adding that fertilizing had not been done.

It was not billed and you didnt veto the fertilizing, Brown said.

Gainer requested that Secretary Dawn Koch compare what was spent on lawn care and maintenance in 2013 and 2014. Brown provided the service during 2013.

Link:
Washington Township supervisor eyes building project

Before the Wyoming City Council meeting Feb. 17, there was a public hearing related to the 2015 street and utility improvement project. Most questions from city residents were about the cost of the project for individual property owners.

City Engineer Mark Erichson reviewed the scope of the work for the two sections of the city included in the project and the timetable for completion. The first part of the project is east of Forest Boulevard and west of Fenwick north of 263rd Street. It includes 264th, 266th through 270th streets; Felton, Fenwick, Finley, Flintwood, Forli, Foxboro, Freisland and Railroad avenues; Flintwood Circle; Flintwood Lane; and Freeport Court.

The second area is also east of Forest Boulevard but south of Wyoming Trail. Streets included in this area are 261st, 263rd, 264th, Flint Trail Flint Court, Galen Drive, Freeport Avenue and Glen Oak Drive.

Within each area, the proposed improvements include full pavement reclamation and paving of rural streets. Sanitary sewer repairs will be made based on televised reports. Some fire hydrants will be replaced, and others will be added. Drainage improvements will also be made. The lift station on Railroad Avenue will be upgraded. The project includes a total of 4.1 miles of streets to be repaired in the first area, as well as 1.74 miles of streets in the second area.

The total cost of the project is $5.1 million. About $3.3 million of that will go toward street improvements, with the rest split between improvements to sanitary sewers, water mains, storm sewers and lift stations.

Erichson explained that there may be some improvements to ditches so flow is better during rain events.

Most of the area is sandy, so water drains in quickly and there are no plans to add curb and gutter. Those who live on corner lots will only be assessed one as one unit. Residents will only be assessed for improvements if their driveway is on a project street. The assessment portion of the property tax bill is not a tax deductible expense.

City Administrator Craig Mattson explained that the city is assessing the minimum amount allowable for the project (20 percent). The assessment policy will be applied to the surface improvement cost ($3.3 million) for the project area.

The total number of assessable units in the project area is 359.5. Dividing the estimated surface improvement cost by the units, the average assessment per unit is $1,845.84.

According to Mattson, the final assessment numbers are dependent upon the actual bids, when the city needs the money to make payments, interest-rate at the time of the bond sale and the term of the payback. He estimated that the term of the assessment payments will be about five to seven years, with the bank that is buying the bonds setting the interest rate. An assessment hearing will be held in the fall of 2015, when the exact amount of the assessments for each parcel will be known.

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Wyoming preps for road work

Road crews are working at several locations this week in Sarasota and Manatee counties,

The Florida Department of Transportation advises drivers to use caution this week in these areas where road crews are to be working:

SARASOTA COUNTY<.b>

I-75: From Sumter Boulevard to River Road: Construction project: This project expands I-75 to six lanes. Crews are clearing and placing embankment in the median, installing drainage, constructing ponds and placing sod on the outside shoulders, Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Expect nightly southbound inside lane closures between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., from Wednesday, February 25 to Friday, February 27 while workers load trucks with cleared vegetation and haul it away. Pay attention to traffic signs and barricades throughout the construction project, stay alert, and use caution in the work zone. Estimated completion is summer 2016. The contractor is Conalvias USA.

US 41 at SR 789: Maintenance permit project: The sidewalk located along the west side of US 41 from SR 789 to Ritz Carlton Drive and sidewalk located along the north side of SR 789 from Sunset Drive to US 41 will remain closed until construction of the development located at the corner of US 41 and SR 789 is complete. Pedestrians should follow the established detour.

US 41 from Marcia Street to Baywood Drive and from Reynolds Road to Gulf Gate Drive: Construction project: Crews are resurfacing the roadway, installing highway lighting, constructing sidewalk and making drainage improvements. Nighttime/overnight lane closures occur from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Expected completion is spring 2015. Ajax Paving is the contractor.

US 41 Between south of River Road and north of Biscayne Boulevard: Maintenance contracts project: Crews are making sidewalk repairs. Pedestrians should use caution while crews are working.

US 41 Between North of SR 681(Venice Connector) to Oscar Scherer Park: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be cleaning and reshaping roadside ditches both north and south bound directions. Contractor will conduct intermittent outside lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through March.

BUS US 41 at the Circus Drawbridge: Bridge maintenance project: Crews are working at the bridge. Expect intermittent northbound and southbound nighttime/overnight right lane closures Wednesday, February 25 and Thursday, February 26 from 9 p.m. each night to 5 a.m. each morning. Use caution and expect possible delays.

SR 780/Fruitville Road between US 301 and Honore Avenue, SR 758/Bee Ridge Road and SR 776: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be trimming trees over the road and sidewalks. Motorist should expect intermittent sidewalk closures and/or moving operations requiring lane closures through late February.

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TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Expect detours, delays during road projects this week

PANAMA CITY Mike Guyne has lived in a home on Kirkwell Avenue for 27 years, and he said the dirt road in front of his home has kept getting worse and worse until the county paved it a couple of months ago.

When the county took over the area that was formerly Cedar Grove, Guyne said, officials promised to pave the street, but when that never came to fruition, the residents got the votes among themselves to pay for it.

The bill is now due, and the County Commission on Tuesday is scheduled to discuss a plan to levy the assessments.

They just put clay and dirt up on top of it so the road kept getting higher and higher, and the last couple of years every time we got a storm, my garage would fill with water, Guyne said.

Guyne is among the 44 property owners who soon will be billed for the paving work if the County Commission approves the plan Tuesday. The proposal calls for billing the residents of Alamo Street, Kirkwell Avenue, Syracuse Avenue, Marlboro Avenue, Sequoia Avenue and North Kirkwell Avenue for the $229,041 project. The bills would range from $1,207 for a single lot up to $13,499 for the owner of multiple lots.

Guyne, who paid a little extra to the paving company to pave his driveway as part of the project, said he is pleased it is finished and that it will increase property values. Hes a motorcycle rider, and when the dirt road was not paved, he had trouble driving his bike along the road.

It was horrible, Guyne said. If it rained several days, I couldnt even ride my bike up and down the road because it was so nasty.

Mike Pearson, Guynes neighbor on Kirkwell Avenue, said he thought the $1,207 bill he will be getting for the paving was worth it.

I thought they did an excellent job of paving, Pearson said. It was a clay road. When it rained, it got pretty rough.

Shannon Chamberlain, the assessment coordinator for Bay County, said if the board approves the plan, property owners have the option of paying it in one lump sum within 60 days or over five years in equal monthly payments with the first payment being due in 60 days at a 4.25 percent interest rate.

Originally posted here:
County commissioners to take up paving payment plan

Two separate projects discussed

The 2015 PCC Paving Project No. 1 and the 2015 HMGP West Central Sewer Retrofit Project will move forward despite residents coming forward against the projects during public hearings with the Spencer City Council Monday.

After three public hearings, two regarding the 2015 PCC Paving Project No. 1 and one regarding the 2015 HMGP West Central Sewer Retrofit Projects, the council voted unanimously to approve both projects' resolutions of necessity, as well as the plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the 2015 PCC Paving Project.

"The (PCC Paving Project) hearing pertains to the assessable portion of the project which consists of the installation of PCC pavement, PCC sidewalk and other incidental items," Spencer City Manager Bob Fagen explained. "The location of the project is along Fourth Avenue East, from 14th Street to 18th Street, and Third Avenue East, from 11th Street to 13th Street. The project has been on the five-year CIP since 2005/2008 and was extended out to 2015, which was a little bit longer than the original plan."

The project would replace the sealcoat street on Fourth Avenue East and Third Avenue East with a new and more durable concrete pavement. The city would use its long standing policy of assessing the abutting property owners 80 percent of the cost of the street and the city would pay the remaining 20 percent. Also included in the project is a component of sidewalk replacement or infill that will be assessed in a similar manner as the street portion of the project.

Two residents of the area in question, Mazy Van Kleek and Vonada Williamson, submitted letters to the council against the assessment of the project. Brent Biekert, who lives on Third Avenue East, also shared his concerns with the project during the hearing.

"The letter the city sent me said I am being specially assessed because I am getting a special benefit from the completion of this project," Biekert explained. "I would like to know exactly what that special benefit is because I already have a nice sidewalk and driveway. All this project is doing is change the street from a hard pack pavement to concrete and that really doesn't change my property value at all. I don't see how that is a 'special benefit.'"

"As defined by the law, it is an added benefit because concrete is a better surface than a sealcoat street," Fagen answered. "Generally when you look at a home, a home on a concrete street has a better value than one not on a concrete street."

The entire PCC Paving Project will consist of the installation of PCC pavement, PCC sidewalks, water main, storm sewer intakes and sanitary sewer and is estimated to cost $785,004. The street and sidewalk portions of the project will be paid out of the Street Reserve Fund and special assessments, the other areas covered by the project will come out of the Storm Water Reserve Fund, Sanitary Sewer Reserve Fund and SMU will cover the expenses related to the water main.

The public hearing concerning 2015 HMGP West Central Retrofit Project was similar to that of the aforementioned 2015 PCC Paving Project in that the hearing pertained to "the assessable portion of the project which consists of the installation of PCC pavement, PCC sidewalk and other incidental items." Again the city would use its 80/20 assessing policy for this project.

Link:
Residents raise questions regarding special assessments

Crews are working on repairs and maintenance to the Cortez Bridge this week.

The Florida Department of Transportation urges drivers to use caution in these areas where road crews will be working this week:

SARASOTA COUNTY

I-75: From Sumter Boulevard to River Road: Construction project: This project expands I-75 to six lanes. Crews are clearing and placing embankment in the median, installing drainage, constructing ponds and placing sod on the outside shoulders, and widening the bridges at Deer Prairie Creek, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. Expect nightly southbound inside lane closures between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., from Sunday, February 15 to Friday, February 20 while workers load trucks with cleared vegetation and haul it away. Pay attention to traffic signs and barricades throughout the construction project, stay alert, and use caution in the work zone. Estimated completion is summer 2016. The contractor is Conalvias USA.

US 41 at SR 789: Maintenance permit project: The sidewalk located along the west side of US 41 from SR 789 to Ritz Carlton Drive and sidewalk located along the north side of SR 789 from Sunset Drive to US 41 will remain closed until construction of the development located at the corner of US 41 and SR 789 is complete. Pedestrians should follow the established detour.

US 41 from Marcia Street to Baywood Drive and from Reynolds Road to Gulf Gate Drive: Construction project: Crews are resurfacing the roadway, installing highway lighting, constructing sidewalk and making drainage improvements. Nighttime/overnight lane closures occur from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m. Expected completion is spring 2015. Ajax Paving is the contractor.

US 41 Between south of River Road and north of Biscayne Boulevard: Maintenance contracts project: Crews are making sidewalk repairs. Pedestrians should use caution while crews are working.

US 41 Between North of SR 681(Venice Connector) to Oscar Scherer Park: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be cleaning and reshaping roadside ditches both north and south bound directions. Contractor will conduct intermittent outside lane closures between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. through March.

US 41 at Bahia Vista: Maintenance permit project: Crews are working in a manhole. Expect intermittent overnight southbound outside and middle lane closures as well as northbound outside lane closures from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday, February 17. Use caution and expect delays.

SR 780/Fruitville Road between US 301 and Honore Avenue, SR 758/Bee Ridge Road and SR 776: Maintenance contracts project: Crews will be trimming trees over the road and sidewalks. Motorist should expect intermittent sidewalk closures and/or moving operations requiring lane closures through late February.

See the article here:
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Watch for road crews on these Sarasota-Manatee roads this week

Viburnum Dense Fence. Picture: Ozbreed

With green spaces becoming smaller and smaller for urban dwellers, the search is on for more compact and hardier plant choices.

Some people are opting out all together for a garden and putting in paving and fake grass, but they will be increasing the temperature around their house by at least six degrees and creating a desolate, dead environment.

One of the toughest spots for new homeowners is what to use as a screening plant for the narrow strip between houses. The good news is as long as you can make a garden bed 20-30cm wide, you can grow a green screen.

Below are three great plants to use:

Viburnum Dense Fence is a new compact form of Vibernum odoratissimum with lush green foliage and fragrant flowers in spring. The new growth is bronze/red. It can grow to 3.5m but can be pruned to 1.8m. Dense Fence will grow in full sun or part shade.

Banksia Sentinel is a beautiful narrow-growing banksia with large lemon-coloured flowers that the birds will come to enjoy for months. It's perfect for a narrow driveway or down the side of the house. It will grow in light shade, growing to 2m tall and less than a metre wide.

Leptospermum Starry Night has shiny black-purple foliage and gets covered in starry white flowers its a knockout. The little insectivore birds love it because of the insects it attracts with the pollen. It will grow in full sun or part shade and grows to around 2m high and 1.5m wide.

Reader tip

I have found the perfect mulch. Champagne corks. They shade the soil and reduce wind speed across the surface. Can be applied to various depth which can easily be adjusted. Reduce evaporation. Are light and non water absorbent. Can be easily moved then replaced for new plantings. Last for at least 20 years. At an average of $15 per bottle (i.e. per cork) with 120 corks per pot, thats $1800 a pot or $7200 per sq metre they are not cheap. But fun to "collect". Hic.

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Screening plants for narrow strips

YORK COUNTY, S.C.

York County sheriff's deputies are investigating reports that someone has been stealing pets in the western part of the county, possibly impersonating animal control officers.

On Wednesday, the Sheriff's Department could not provide Channel 9 with incident reports where people claimed that fake animal control officers were taking animals.

However, several did report that a scratched up, white Ford F-150 was the suspect vehicle, and calls into crime stoppers are now being investigated.

Sheena Branch owns several dogs at her rural home outside York. Last September her mother Debbie Bradley was home when two men in a white F-150 pulled up in the yard.

"They came by wanting to know something about paving the driveway, and I said they'd have to come back later," Bradley said.

She said the men seemed suspicious, and didn't immediately leave after she told them to. Later that same day they noticed their Yorkie named B.J. was missing.

"He went missing, and he never came back." Branch said. "He was our family animal, now we don't have him anymore."

It wasn't until this week when crime stoppers of York County put out a warning online about someone taking pets and claiming to be animal control that Branch thought it could be the same thing that happened to her.

"The truck was the same. A white truck, and I hate that this could be happening to other people," she said. "I talked to the officer and he said the details I had given him were very similar to the other details that they had received."

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Some report impostor animal control officers stealing pets

Tuesday, February, 10, 2015 - 1:01:48 PM

Albion Falls parking lot to be paved

By Gord Bowes, News staff

The city plans to pave a gravel parking lot near a piece of paradise. The 890-square-metre lot across from Albion Falls at Arbour Road is being paved later this year. East Mountain councillor Tom Jackson said hes been advocating for the work to deal with problems that occur each year. Theyve constantly had to fill in potholes and sunken areas, said Jackson. The Albion Falls work is part of a three-park project that is out for tender this month. Pathways at Bayview Park and a portion of the driveway at Heritage Greene Sports Park from the entrance gates to the road are also being paved. The parks department has asked for $200,000 in this years budget to pay for the work, a city spokeswoman said.

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Albion Falls parking lot to be paved