The struggle to repair Indian Head Lodge Road has finally come to an end as the Wright City Board of Aldermen approved a cost-share agreement with the residents of the Spring Lakes, Villas at Spring Lakes and Greenfield Estates subdivisions to cover the $68,310 bid to overlay the road. 

The agreement was approved 2-1 with Aldermen Don Andrews and Kim Arbuthnot voting for the agreement and Alderman Karey Owens voting against. Mayor Michelle Heiliger was absent and Alderman Ramiz Hakim abstained as he owns a portion of the road. 

Spring Lakes and the Villas at Springs Lakes are within the Wright City limits, while Greenfield Estates is in unincorporated Warren County. Residents asked the board to help them cover the cost of the repairs at the April 24 board meeting. 

Originally, residents asked the city to cover half of the $68,310 bid but met resistance from board members who said the city did not have the funds. 

After months of herculean efforts, the residents managed to raise just over $62,000, or 91.1% of the overlay costs. Per the agreement the city will cover the remaining $6,139. 

“This has gone on long enough,” said Andrews. “I think it’s time that we get this across the finish line, help them out with a little bit of money that’s left and move forward.”

Andrews also commended residents on their fundraising efforts and requested the remaining costs be pulled from the city’s general revenue fund, to be replaced with funds from city reserves. 

Per the board’s decision, following the overlay, the road will be annexed into the city limits. 

The decision brought an end to a years-long struggle to repair the road, which serves as the only access for the three subdivisions. 

The agreement was not without opposition, as Owens read a letter submitted for public comment from resident Sharon Wischmeyer, who felt it was unfair to spend city funds on a private road when there are public roads in need of repair. 

“We don’t understand why the city would even consider accepting a private road that you will be financially responsible for when it doesn’t meet city code,” wrote Wischmeyer. “This affects not only our subdivision, but the entire city who needs work done on their streets.”

Owens echoed these sentiments and said while she had gone back and forth on the agreement, she could not justify spending the money on a private road as the city continues to face budget constraints. 

“I have a really hard time getting my arms around telling our department heads after we’ve told them for two years straight, we need you to cut, we need you to cut, I need you to cut again,” said Owens. “But I’m going to spend money on something that isn’t in the city limits, that the city doesn’t own.”

Wischmeyer also questioned whether the road would remain viable after an overlay, and Owens asked whether the overlay would be a “band-aid fix.”

Public Works Director Kyle Roettger said he had consulted with contacts in the asphalt industry who had told him the road’s base is still in good condition and said the overlay would simply be classified as “preventative maintenance.”

He went further to say that since the city will be annexing the road, continuous maintenance will prevent the road from ever falling into this state of disrepair again. 

Alderman Arbuthnot, who also works for the Wright City Fire Protection District, said she had safety concerns about leaving the road in its current condition and felt it needed to be repaired. 

“A fire truck, an ambulance, I would be very, very concerned with any of those going down that road, … and when you’re talking about a fire truck, which is extremely expensive, and something happens to that truck, that $6,000 doesn’t seem like a whole lot,” said Arbuthnot. 

City officials were unsure of a timeline for when work would begin on the road since Mid Rivers Asphalt is currently contracted for repairs on Roelker Road. A start date would be contingent on the city acquiring ownership of the road along with the necessary right-of-way. 

Owens said there are plans to bring the road up to city code once the right-of-way and title of the road are in hand but those repairs will have to wait until the city is able to afford them. 

Nicci Fears, who helped to lead fundraising efforts, was ecstatic with the board’s decision and thanked Andrews for his efforts. 

“We’re extremely thankful for those who stepped up to help us,” said Fears.