GEORGETOWN, Del. - Georgetown Town Council will consider a $26,000 proposal Monday night from the town engineer for the design and permitting of new bollards on The Circle, aiming to improve safety while preserving its historic look.
"The ones we currently have are more decorative, did serve a purpose, but after we had several crashes into The Circle, we had a Circle Advisory Committee that was formed, and one of their recommendations was to come up with a better solution," said town manager Gene Dvornick. "So, we worked with a landscape architect who did a conceptual design."
The town hopes to finalize the design and begin bidding within six to eight months.
The town says it’s not decided yet, but most likely, the security posts will be similar in height, about 36 inches.
Charlie Koskey, owner of Chardon Limited Fine Jewelry and a member of the Georgetown Circle Advisory Committee, said the need for new bollards is clear.
"I've witnessed during the day someone almost enter the circle," Koskey said. "They hit the curb and then backed up and then took off. So it's not only happening at night, but it can happen during the day, and the bollards are there really for public safety."
Dvornick said the Chief Harvey Gregg and Officer Chad Spicer monuments will return after the installation is complete.
"I'd rather have this safety and security around the perimeter and then put the monument back than to do the reverse, put them back in and have something catastrophic happen," he said.
The town hopes to begin work in the fall and finish by the end of the year.
The Town Council meeting is scheduled to follow a 6:30 p.m. public hearing.