Music also said that Police Chief Jimmy Gipson, who was absent, will issue citations on Monday to property owners who recently were sent a certified letter stating they needed to clean up their land. She encouraged the council members to notify her of any other properties around town whose owners should be issued the same letter.
Praise came for new Public Works Director Randy Wells during the meeting. Wells was commended for working hard to tackle several projects around the city.
Wells also presented a report to the council. In a past council meeting, a proposal for a $1,400 retractable tarp for the city dump truck was made by the former public works director. Wells said he believes the truck would be fine with a regular tarp, which would be less expensive. The council made a motion to let Wells handle the tarp situation on his own.
Wells also said he didn't think the city needed a new tractor. He felt some repair work on the power take off shaft was in order and four new tires should be purchased. He also told the council that the city backhoe was in need of some repair due to a faulty valve. The council agreed the backhoe should be repaired because it is a source of revenue and because it could be a hazard not to fix it. The council made a motion to find someone to fix the backhoe.
Future rezoning
Mayor G.G. Harmon addressed the council about a future rezoning hearing that would include land that lies in the city limits.
The rezone, if passed, would allow a trailer park around Joyce Heights and Johnson Lane.
Harmon said a past rezoning attempt had been shot down by the council.
Harmon and the council agreed that still did not want the trailer park and made a motion to send a letter to Planning and Zoning stating their opposition to the rezone.
The council also approved a motion to pour 100 feet of concrete for a sidewalk on North Lucas Street that recently had been removed because of the poor condition of the walkway. An injury to a child walking on the sidewalk prompted the removal. Wells said he and the inmates he works with could do the labor.
Harmon also brought it to the council's attention that Kentucky Avenue and Cemetery Street needed to be blacktopped. The council expressed reluctance over paving the streets because of a pending sewer line project by the city of Danville. Harmon said Danville is supposed to install 160 feet of sewer line on those streets.
No one on the council was sure what time limit, if any, had been set in the contract with Danville to complete the sewer line. Harmon agreed to ask Fletcher what the contract said.
Council members said they would like the city engineer, Earl Coffey, to show up to a council meeting to discuss the issue. According to Harmon, Coffey has been invited to the last two regular meetings but has not been present.
Finally, Harmon said a special meeting may be called to vote on recommendations for a new cemetery shelter. Plans already have been drawn up based on a similar shelter at the Glenwood Cemetery in Liberty.
Harmon said the building would cost about $6,000 but donations of nearly $800 had already been made. He said he expects more money to be on the way.
