Council discusses proposed street repairs

by Dolores Hamilton
Members of the city council studied a list of proposed streets to be rebuilt or slurry sealed during their meeting Monday night. They were asked to rank the streets listed, as well as add others they think are in need of repair.

Five streets were on the list for resurfacing at a cost of $363,250. $120,000 has been budgeted for this work. Thirteen streets were on the slurry seal list for a total cost of $57,500, with $30,000 budgeted.

Councilwoman Sherrie Williams said she thought Valley Drive is the street that should be at the top of the list for resurfacing and, if necessary, without the curb and guttering. Williams also said Pasadena should be on the slurry list. Mayor Joe Ward said that Alameda St., especially the 700 block, was in bad need of repair, and Councilwoman Stephanie Wooten suggested 4th Street near Kidwell Elementary as another street to look at.

Councilman Dan Fears complained about the damage caused by IESI trash trucks and thought they should help pay for repairs. City Manager Mike Price told him, “They do pay a franchise fee, but we’re not using it to repair streets.” Fears said he would like to look a the contract and see if money from the franchise fee could be directed to the street fund. He asked that this be put on the agenda for the next meeting.
Money for the street fund currently comes from city sales tax.

The council will vote on the streets that will undergo paving projects in 2009 at the next meeting in January.

During a public hearing to determine if a 1981 Ford pickup and a 1991 Pontiac sedan, abandoned on private property at 509 E. Washington, should be declared junked vehicles, Price told the council, “The vehicles are still there.” He said no one signed for the certified letters sent out by the city to advise the owners of the violations and of the hearing, and no one was at the meeting to plead their case.

The council voted to give the owners 30 days to abate both junked vehicles.

In other business an ordinance was approved adopting the most current building, electrical, residential one and two-family dwelling, plumbing, mechanical, fire and fuel gas construction codes. According to Price, every three years the International Code Council and the National Electric Code Council adopt a new version of the construction codes. This allows those codes to incorporate the newest technologies and safety features.

During the meeting Mayor Joe Ward recognized the city’s Parks and Public Works employees for their work done installing the Christmas decorations around the city. They are: Robbie Matthews, Brian Patnode, David Bolin, Eddie Browning, Lynn Stone, Doug Fowler, Belvin Lytle, Charles Ficklin, Freddie Smith and Ross Fairchild.

Ward also thanked members of the Christmas Lights Task Force and other volunteers for the new led-style lights at the library and Lake Gordon and in the medians downtown, and for their work refurbishing the old garland-type decorations.

Members of the Christmas Lights Task Force include: Sherrie Williams, chairman, Dolores Hamilton, Dale McCreary, Peggy Robertson, Joe Singer, Randy Fulbright and Carol Patnode. Volunteers were: Jerry Robertson, Jo Ann Yarbrough, Sue Young and Jessie Lee Jones. Ward also complimented City Manager Mike Price for the time he has given to this project.