No public comment made at hearing
Staff writer
Peabody City Council convened a public hearing Monday evening to allow constituents an opportunity to comment on amendments to the 2010 budget. Expenditures for special highway improvements, municipal equipment, capital improvement, water, and refuse were higher by year’s end than the amounts for which the city had originally budgeted.
The state requires municipalities to make amendments to their budgets in such instances and to offer the public a chance to comment.
No one attended the hearing for that purpose and the amended changes were approved by a unanimous vote of the council. The hearing was adjourned.
The regularly scheduled council meeting took place after the hearing.
Susie Schmidt and several members of the Peabody Community Quilt Project attended the meeting to present the city with a check for $7,000. The PCQP group has spent six years meeting weekly and quilting together, then selling their quilted items to raise funds for park equipment.
They have raised a total of $11,000. The money presented to the city Monday evening was the final payment on the new playground equipment at the city park. The group raised an additional $1,000 at their Christmas bazaar Dec. 11 and gave that money to the city for fall-safe material around the equipment.
The final phase of the equipment installation will be completed by the first of the year.
In other business:
- A donation of $50 in Peabody bucks was approved for the HUB New Year’s Eve party.
- Beth Peter requested clarification on the sign requirements for the disc golf course at city park and for the new volleyball pit. Peabody Recreation Commission is working with the city to get the signs in place.
- Retail cereal malt beverage licenses were approved for Peabody Lanes, Peabody Market, and Food Mart.
- The council heard from public works director Darren Pickens that interior work on the mezzanine and stairway at the new city shop has begun. City employees also will be finishing work on some insulation, the police vehicle bay, and the records room.
- Council members approved carry-over of some 2010 vacation days for Bruce Burke, Stephanie Ax, and Brad Cady.
- The council tabled decisions on health care options for employees, purchase of a municipal court reporting system, replacement of a lift station pump, and acceptance of a maintenance agreement for the water tower communication system until more information could be obtained on each issue.
- City Administrator Mac Manning told council members that the city attorney is reviewing the real estate agreement for the sale of the former Industrial Park land. Manning expects closing to take place in the spring.