Tuesday night, city workers got the green light to tear down four derelict houses in town.
The four houses, located at 205 West Cummings, 1201 West Cummings, 411 State Street and 211 North 13th, were abated at a council meeting earlier this year and have been called derelict and unsafe by code enforcement officer Jody Agee. He said no progress on repairs to any of the houses had been made since the last meeting.
At the council meeting, Agee said the house at 1201 West Cummings has people living in it illegally even though there are no public utilities. “I’m still getting complaints on it,” he said.
Removal of those houses is expected in the coming weeks.
Council members approved a request by Trampas and Sherry Parker to hold a Vintage Racing event at Nichols Park September 27 through 29. The park was used for a similar event last year and, “when it was over, the park was in better condition than when Trampas and Sherry got there,” said mayor Jennifer Munholland. “They do everything over and above for the park,” she added.
That race brought in several hundred contestants and their families for nearly a week.
The council bought two Toro commercial mowers for $21,000 to be used for park maintenance and other common city property.
Munholland was appointed to serve on the committee to negotiate with the Firefighters Union for the coming year.
Only one bid for a deck at the bathrooms at Nichols has been received. From Wilhite Construction, that bid was for $7,064.80. It will construct a 10 by 10-foot deck with roof and 4x30-foot ramp and skirting around the bathroom building. “It’s been a long process to get this done,” Munholland said. “It was way more work than anticipated.”
Attorney David Martin was named as alternate city judge. He will serve when city judge Luke Gaither is not available.
Council members were informed nearly 30 tons of salt and sand were used during the last storm.
Good news was received on the price of work for electrical service for a lift station at the city property west of town. The city had allocated $25,000 for the project and the bid came in at $19,971.
City crews have been busy removing dead trees at Nichols Park. A number of those trees were found to be infected with a fungus that, if the affected trees were not removed, would spread throughout the park. “If you notice more and more have been dying,” Munholland said.