AGENDA #4d

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager       

 

SUBJECT:       Follow-up Report on Kiosk Installation Downtown

 

DATE:             February 10, 2003

 

 

This report responds to a request from the Council on November 11, 2002, for a report for the Council’s consideration regarding the feasibility of placing additional kiosks in the downtown area.  Adoption of the attached resolution would allocate $12,000 of available Streetscape bond funds to install six additional kiosks at downtown locations described in this report.

 

BACKGROUND

 

In the fall of 2002, the Council considered a proposal to adjust sign regulations in a manner that would remove restrictions on placing signs on utility poles.  On November 11, 2002 the Council decided not to change the existing regulations.  At that time the Council asked about the status of Town-maintained kiosks in the downtown area, and requested additional information about that means of display for flyers and other postings.

 

DISCUSSION

 

In the fall of 2002, the Public Works Department completed replacement of the five wooden kiosks, originally installed downtown in the mid 1980’s, with six new kiosks made of painted metal with wooden display panels.  A picture of one of the kiosks when it was newly installed is attached (Attachment 1).  The locations of these six existing kiosks are shown on the attached map (Attachment 2).

 

In response to the Council’s request of November 11, 2002, the staff has inventoried the downtown area and identified six additional locations where Town-maintained kiosks could be installed if desired by the Council.  These potential locations, mostly on West Franklin Street, are also shown on Attachment 2.

 

The materials cost of these six new kiosks is estimated to be approximately $12,000.  This includes an anticipated $1,750 to purchase each kiosk and an estimated $250 for materials needed for each installation.  The installation materials include brick pavers, to be installed below the kiosks between the sidewalk and the curb, and replaceable painted plywood panels installed by Town Public Works Department crews within the new metal frames.  The kiosks are custom fabricated and we estimate that the time needed to fabricate and install them would be approximately three months.

 

Of the $1,000,000 in Streets and Sidewalks bonds approved in 1996 for Streetscape improvements, approximately $678,000 has been spent or allocated, leaving a balance of $322,000.  We anticipate that about $150,000 will be needed this year for another discrete section of Streetscape construction, leaving approximately $172,000 available for other uses.  If $12,000 is allocated for the six new kiosks, $160,000 would remain for future improvements.

 

In addition to the installation cost, there could be some operating costs associated with maintenance of the recommended new kiosks.  Typically we clear the kiosks of accumulated postings every one to two weeks, and we anticipate that we will need to replace the wooden panels and repaint the metal frames every two to three years.  We believe that these maintenance costs will be marginal, however, and can be absorbed within the Public Works Department’s current operating budget.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We believe that kiosks are an important component of the Downtown Streetscape, and serve well as devices for the posting of community information.  We also believe that the existing six kiosks are well-sited and well-used and that installing six additional kiosks at the recommended locations would serve to expand the opportunities for public postings at a reasonable cost.

 

We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Town Manager to allocate $12,000 of available Streetscape bond funds to install six additional kiosks at the downtown locations described in this report. 

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.  Picture of Kiosk (p. 4).

2.  Map of Kiosk locations (p. 5).

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ALLOCATE $12,000 TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL NEW KIOSKS AT SIX DOWNTOWN LOCATIONS (2003-02-10/R-5)

 

WHEREAS, the Town Council has requested information about the feasibility of additional kiosks in the Downtown area; and

 

WHEREAS, six locations have been determined to be suitable for the installation of new kiosks; and

 

WHEREAS, $12,000 is available in bond funding to purchase and install the new kiosks;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council authorizes the Town Manager to install six additional kiosks at the downtown locations described in this report, and use $12,000 of available Streetscape bond funds to do so.

 

This the 10^th day of February, 2003.