The city of Neosho agreed Tuesday to pay up to $20,000 to install a privacy fence and gates to a rural homeowner whose property abuts the recently completed Howard Bush Extension.
The city will pay for Wanda and Jack Morgan, who reside at 998 Burr Crossing Road, to build a 6-foot concrete privacy fence at their property.
The Morgans have been petitioning the council since July for the privacy fence because of noise and safety concerns with the roadway, which was officially opened to the public late last month.
Before Tuesday’s vote, Wanda Morgan addressed the council, saying she now spoke from experience about issues with the roadway. She said people were using their semi-circular drive to turn around in when coming off of the new roadway, causing safety issues around the home. Other problems she said she noted included concerns about noise and privacy.
“Several times a day, people are backing in and out of our driveway,” she said. “The sound is so loud, I have to put my hands over my ears. Then there is the security factor. We’re used to living in the country. We’re not used to living in a fishbowl.”
Morgan said when traffic backs up on the road, usually when school buses are taking students to and from school, “they entertain themselves by watching us.”
“If we had a sight and sound barrier, that would be solved. The safety issue would be solved because they won’t be turning into our driveway.”
In August, the city agreed to install two concrete driveways and a privacy fence or natural barrier between the new roadway and the Morgans’ home as an attempt to lessen the negative impacts on the couple’s property caused by the roadway. Driveway entrances were installed for $7,832. The Morgans rejected having a vinyl or wooden fence installed, saying it didn’t look natural and required maintenance.
In an Oct. 12 memo to City Manager Jan Blase, Mike Hightower, director of public works, said he had checked into pre-cast concrete fencing, finding an Oklahoma company, Liberty Precast of Jenks, that would provide and install a 6-foot concrete fence the length required for $16,867. Meanwhile, a local welding company, Booyer, would provide and install two arch top gates for $2,930. In his memo, Hightower said savings realized by a drop in asphalt prices, just over $17,000, could be used to build the fence.
“We offer to pay a dollar amount and write a check,” said Blase. “We do not supervise construction. We do not consider this a bid.”
