Oil City Council members heard an update Thursday on the East Second Street project and honored the late Henry B. Suhr Jr., a well-known Oil City resident who was very active in the community for decades.
Paving on East Second will likely wrap up for the year next week, Oil City manager Mark Schroyer told council.
Schroyer said contractor S.E.T. Inc. of Ohio will pave through Saturday and then maybe at the beginning of next week, depending on the weather.
“For such a large project, this may have gone the smoothest of any major project I have seen in the more than 30 years of my career,” Schroyer said, reiterating that the East Second work was a “good project” well executed by S.E.T.
Schroyer added that the city has already seen improvements in the water and sewer lines in the area of East Second.
Most of the infrastructure on the East Second project was underground, Schroyer said, adding that some of the old water lines dated back to the 1870s.
Schroyer said that every now and then the workers come across a hollowed out tree trunk that was part of the original water and sewer lines in the city.
Councilman Mike Walentosky, who manages the CVS store on East Second, said the new sidewalks are great.
PennDOT offered to turn the road over to the city along with $2.5 million for the reconstruction of the road and curbs, and the city accepted the offer in 2021.
The city is now responsible for repair and maintenance.
In another matter at Thursday’s meeting, Mayor Bill Moon presented copies of a proclamation honoring Henry Suhr to his wife of 67 years, Beverly, and his children who were in attendance, Elizabeth Suhr Heisey and Douglas Suhr.
“Mr. Suhr was a businessman and philanthropist, being very active in the community and serving on many boards, and…was a kind, caring and generous man who assisted many causes, as well as the city and surrounding community,” the proclamation said.
Henry Suhr, who was 91, died peacefully in his home on Oct. 12, and he maintained his personal and family business offices in Oil City until his death.
His obituary noted that he served many educational, nonprofit and charitable organizations and on multiple boards throughout his lifetime.
He and his wife were the parents of three children and four grandchildren, and his obituary noted that he shared his passions of music, poetry and water activities with his children and grandchildren.
