Woolsey Hosts Public Works and Streets Town Hall

By Taylor Kaiser

On Monday, December 8th, the City of Corsicana held a Public Works and Streets Town Hall. Precinct 3 Councilman Chris Woolsey led the event, joined by City Manager Jim Holgersson and Public Works Director Terry Franks. They listened to residents’ concerns about street conditions, infrastructure issues, and how city maintenance is managed.

Woolsey opened the meeting by explaining why he organized the forum. “One of the things we get the most questions about are streets, water and infrastructure,” he said. “The council recognizes we do not see every street, so there are some gaps in our knowledge. I thought it was important we opened this up to anybody who wanted to come and say anything.” He added that the council is particularly interested in identifying procedural issues so the city can “look at the process and figure out what to fix.”

City officials also clarified how street related funding works. Every Corsicana resident pays an $8 fee on their monthly water bill dedicated solely to road materials, not labor. The funds may be used for pothole patching or saved for larger projects. Some major thoroughfares, such as Seventh Avenue and parts of Second Avenue fall under the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation, limiting the city’s ability to repair or improve them.

Several residents raised concerns during the meeting. The Winfield family, new to Corsicana, asked about speeding along the 1100 block of Sycamore Avenue near Jester Park and Oakwood Cemetery. “There’s no sidewalks, but there’s a ton of foot traffic with people going to the park and the swimming pool,” they said, asking whether speed bumps could be considered. Franks acknowledged the concern, noting the city’s extensive list of sidewalk requests but encouraging residents to continue speaking up so staff can explore traffic engineering or law enforcement solutions.

Another resident reported that a forty foot section of curb on McKinney Avenue had been blocked off for replacement eight weeks ago, partially obstructing her driveway. Franks assured her the project remains active. “We have not forgot you. We are getting those curbs and stuff ready and doing those spot repairs,” he said, citing equipment issues and logistics for the delay.

Residents also asked about uneven outside lanes on 15th Street between First and Second Avenues. Franks explained that the design helps mitigate flooding in that area. Questions about downtown’s flashing red lights prompted Franks to note the long term goal of replacing the signals with stop signs.

Woolsey also raised a concern of his own, asking whether a traffic light could be installed at Bowie and Dobbins near Collins Intermediate, noting that “in the morning, it’s a thirty minute stop due to school traffic.”

He closed the meeting by reminding residents that council members are reachable by phone or email, with email being the most efficient. Mr. Franks wrote down every concern of the evening, and a public list of current projects is in the works.

Public works concerns can be submitted to any council member or directly through the city’s website at http://www.cityofcorsicana.com.

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