Solar lights will be tried in Central Park
Meetings will be at 5:30 p.m. every other Monday
Staff reporter
Solar lights will be installed along the nature trail in Central Park, Marion. Only four will be installed for now to determine if they would be feasible to maintain.
Marion City Councilman Stacey Collett asked the council to consider options for replacing lights along the trail. Previously memorial gas lights had been along the trail but vandals and the high cost of natural gas led the city to remove the lights. Some posts still remain.
Collett said he had researched the product and found a solar light for $175 each on the Internet. He suggested purchasing a few lights to try before making a larger investment. City administrator David Mayfield said funds were available in the city's capital improvement fund.
The council agreed with Collett's suggestion and passed the proposal 5-0.
In other business:
— City council meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. every other Monday in the city building.
Donna Bernhardt, managing editor of the Marion County Record, asked the council to consider specific times of the month such as the first and third or second and fourth Mondays to make it easier for constituents to know when the meetings are scheduled. It was determined that timing of payroll, which is twice a month, dictated that the council meet every other Monday.
The resolution for the day and time passed 3-2, with councilman Gene Winkler and Tice voting against. It is not known whether the two were against the time, day, or number of times per month.
— Following suggestions made by councilman Bill Holdeman, the council approved councilman Stacey Collett as vice mayor or president of the council. Collett will conduct council meetings in the absence of Tice.
Holdeman also suggested a 15-minute public forum at the end of each council meeting to allow public comment.
The city's current policy requires issues to be placed on the agenda by noon Friday. Tice said he opposed the suggestions because there are city employees in place to plan the agenda. Collett said he didn't want the forum to be a "gripe session."
The council approved the agenda item with speakers having three-minute time limits.
— An update of the city's comprehensive plan is being made, reported planning commission chairman Roger Schwab. Public input and guidance from the council is requested.
— Mayfield reported wallpaper was removed from the former commission room and mold was discovered. Regardless of future plans for the room, the walls needed to be repairs, said Mayfield. He asked the council if it wanted to continue to meet in the basement or in the former commission room.
Temporary walls can be removed, carpet replaced, and new tables and chairs could be purchased for a total of $5,000, said Mayfield. He said that economic development director Jami Williams had checked with Gary Carlson of Marion regarding a sound system for the former commission room. The cost would be approximately $3,500. The council decided to make improvements to the former commission room that included furniture, decorating, and a sound system.
— Full-time city employees will be given Chingawassa Days festival buttons again this year.
— Following a suggestion by Collett, the city will change its policy to allow free dumping at the city's tree dump during cleanup weeks.
— Notices of violations of the city's drinking water will be mailed to customers again. City officials assured the council that the issues will be resolved when ozone upgrades are completed at the city's water treatment plant.
— Holdeman asked if once a week trash removal would reduce the cost for fuel and allow workers time to complete other projects. Mayfield said the city refuse truck used $523 of fuel each month which included both commercial and residential pickup. Marty Fredrickson, street superintendent, said commercial businesses still would need routine pickups regardless of the number of times residential trash was removed.
Mayfield asked the council if it wanted Williams to put a survey on the city's web site to get input from residents. Mayor Martin Tice said the city also needed to look at recycling and suggested the questionnaire include questions pertaining to recycling.
Williams will not be available to place the questionnaire on the web site until she returns from training.
— Councilman Gene Winkler asked the status of the burned vehicles that have been on a downtown lot since a fire at Hett Repair. Mayfield said the vehicles are on property owned by Flaming's Heating and Air Conditioning and insurance companies still were negotiating the settlement.
The next council meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. May 8 in the basement of the city building.
