Wednesday's Internet Edition, August 27, 2008.
residents east of Wellness Center
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| INCREASED TRAFFIC- Increased traffic through this alley north of the new Hamilton General Hospital Wellness Center has caused adjacent property owners concerns. Residents told the City Council last Thursday night that the increased traffic has caused a problem with dust and has raised possible safety issues in the narrow alley. The alley runs from Brown to Bouldin Streets. There was some difference of opinion as to whether it would be better to close the alley to through traffic or pave it to prevent the dust. The city agreed to send out letters to the property owners along the alley to see what they preferred. If the alley is to be closed, it will require the consent of all of the property owners. Staff Photo |
Mayor Roy Rumsey pre-sided over the meeting. Council members Mike Collett, Bradley Haile, Helen Townsend and Grant Lengefeld were present. Betty Jenkins was absent.
Paula Riker, one of the prop-erty owners, told the council, “We have concerns about the alley being used as a public street.”
She said that since construc-tion of the Wellness Center began, traffic has quadrupled on the alley. She said that sev-eral residents living adjacent to the alley have breathing prob-lems and that dust created by the traffic is a problem for them. She also said she has concerns over safety with the increased traffic.
She explained that there are 11 parking spaces located north of the Wellness Center, which are access from the alley. She said that they are laid out at an angle, which when a motorist backs out leaves them little option but to exit down the alley to Bouldin St.
She stressed, “There is no way we are trying to interfere with the clientele of the Well-ness Center. That’s not our purpose at all. Our main desire is to have it maintained as the public street it has become.”
Murlin Bottlinger, who owns rental property at the east end of the alley, then spoke. “Personally, I was hoping to put a temporary barrier across that could be moved if mainte-nance in the alley is needed.”
Trudy Stanley, who lives in a house with its back to the alley, said, “I have chronic bronchitis. The dust is horrible. If it keeps up I will have to go back on oxygen. Besides that, I can’t keep my house clean.”
Another resident, Nelda Roberson, said her husband also has breathing problems. She added that she had wit-nessed a near accident the day before. “The alley needs atten-tion,” she concluded.
Bottlinger said, “The alley is really too narrow for a street.” He again suggested putting a barrier at the Wellness Center end of the alley and leaving the other end open.
City Administrator Bill Funderburk said, “We could look at a permanent closer. Then each property owner would take ownership of the half of the alley backing to their property.”
City Attorney Connie White advised, “To do that, you would have to have the consent of all the property owners.”
Riker said, “I would rather see it paved with perhaps speed bumps.”
Funderburk was asked how much it would cost to pave the alley. He said that paving costs have gone up so much recently that he was not sure. However, he guessed it might cost be-tween $2,500 and $3,000 to seal-coat it and twice that much for asphalt.
“But, I could be way off with that,” said Funderburk.
Townsend asked Bottlinger, “Murlin, would you strongly object to leaving it open?”
He responded, “No. I just feel it would be more economi-cal to close one end.”
After more discussion, it was decided to send a letter to each of the adjacent property owners to see what there pref-erence is and then to place the issue on the August council meeting agenda.
The council unanimously approved the first reading of a resolution allowing the Hamil-ton Economic Development Corporation to donate $50,000 over the next two fiscal years to the construction of a new live-stock barn at Fair Park.
Keith Curry then gave a brief update on the progress of the barn project. He said that material costs are going up very rapidly. He said that metal costs have jumped from about $62,000 when the job was es-timated only a few months ago to $75,000.
He asked the council to con-sider allowing the structure to be a “weld-up building, as op-posed to a bolt-up building.”
He said if the building is welded up, the metal can be on the ground at the site in a week, where as if it is bolt-up, it will take four to eight weeks for it to be fabricated.
He also said that the adja-cent Jayson Harris Pavilion is a weld-up structure and that it has held up well.
Funderburk said that legally any construction costing more than $25,000 requires an engi-neers stamp of approval.
Curry said they had been in contact with an engineer and that he could be here next week to examine the plans and give it his approval. However, he said the engineer’s fee would be $3,500.
Funderburk said that since it was not an agenda item, the council could not vote on any-thing at this meeting.
Curry concluded, “I just wanted to bring you all up to date. You ought to see what Mr. Jones has done to get the metal down this week.”
The council accepted a bid from K&S Backhoe Service for $180,195.50 for sewer system improvements. The project is funded by a Community De-velopment Building Grant.
The project will include sewer line replacement south-west of the square, including the line behind the Fine Arts Center that has been a problem for many years. There will also be 22 manholes replaced and new sewer line will be installed on Pecan Street above the City Pool.
Funderburk said that K&S Backhoe Services had the low bid and that the company had done work for the city previ-ously with no problems.
The city received only one bid for employees’ health in-surance and it was from Scott and White.
The Scott and White pro-posal was for $370.30 per em-ployee per month. To include a spouse, the amount increased to $900.47 and for children $66.42. To cover an entire fam-ily the amount is $1,097.69.
Funderburk said, “The city pays the full amount for the employee only. If they choose to add family members they pay that cost. Very few do, mainly because of the high cost.”
The council voted unani-mously to accept the bid.
At the previous month’s meeting, the council had voted to create an Airport Board. Lengefeld and Jenkins had agreed to serve as the city’s representatives on the board. The council voted to name David Zschiesche, Bill Adams, Randy Lee, Harry Hansen and Riley Gardner to the board, contingent upon their agreeing to serve.
White said she believes there is already an ordinance in place creating the board, al-though the board has not been active in many years.
The council also passed an ordinance creating a Board of Adjustment and appointed the council members to serve on it.
Funderburk said the Board of Adjustment is required be-cause of the new zoning ordi-nance.
“Until we can get some training going on, I suggest the council fill that board,” said Funderburk. “Five positions without the mayor.”
The council unanimously approved such a motion made by Townsend and seconded by Haile.
In the reports portion of the meeting, Sheriff Randy Murphree said his officers had issued 67 warnings in the pre-vious month and 65 citations. He also said that we are in a typical summer pattern with an increase in criminal mischief and domestic violence. He said that there have been several cases of air conditioners stolen from vacant houses.
He said there are currently several openings on his staff, both for deputies and at the jail.
He said that interviews with departing deputies show that salary is the number one issue. He said that the salary issue is being addressed in the upcom-ing year’s budget and that a good benefit package is being offered.
Public Works Director Ronnie Harris reported that water usage was up in the month of June. “We are selling some water,” said Harris.
He also reported that the standpipe at Fair Park is back in full operation and that there continue to be a lot of connects and disconnects for utilities as people move about.
Community Development Director John Ratliff reported that only three dogs had to be euthanized at the City Pound in the previous month. He also said it was a good month for building permits.
Funderburk reported that a ribbon cutting for the new Pe-can Creek Park is tentatively scheduled during the upcoming Dove Festival.
He said the waste water treatment plant project is near-ing completion and that they are currently doing the final punch list.
“Jake and Mark are learning the new plant and doing a great job,” said Funderburk.
He also advised the council that he expects to have a called meeting soon to consider the next year’s proposed law en-forcement contract. He said the county commissioners are scheduled to take action on it at their Monday meeting.
After adjourning their regu-lar meeting at 6:50 p.m., the council went into a budget workshop.