City council discusses snow removal
City may create 'emergency snow routes'
After a week of snow storms that left six to eight inches covering Peabody streets, the city council spent time Monday night debating ideas to streamline the process in the future.
City administrator Jeff Benbrook, mayor Randy Dallke, and several individual council members had received positive comments about the effort made by city crews to get the streets cleaned.
Several members wondered about the creation of emergency "snow routes" that would prevent citizens from parking on the street when heavy snowfall is forecasted.
Another suggestion was to allow people to park on one side of the street on even numbered days and on the other side on odd numbered days. This would assure that the crews could remove all the snow in a two-day period.
A suggestion was made to clean the church parking areas and areas around Legacy Park and Westview Manor.
After discussion the council chose not to "over-legislate" and create solutions for every possible situation, but to have Benbrook and the city employees adapt to the severity of the weather and the needs of the community.
Council members put an ongoing finance review in place to be able to make adjustments to the 2004 budget. They have reviewed the 2003 revenue and expenditures and found they came in as expected.
After a meeting with Joanna Brazil, Main Street director, about engineering consultants to determine the feasibility of renovation and repair of the city shop, the council voted to hire Wilson, Darnell, and Mann to conduct the study.
The work will be completed and presented to the council in time to meet the March 1 deadline for the grant application to the Heritage Trust Fund.
Several citizens who had been served for having inoperable vehicles were present to address the council. Jim Myers and Nancy Bowen were given extensions on the amount of time they have to move their vehicles. Roy McConigal presented proof of insurance and title to a truck he owns and Andy Shank asked the council to re-check its information regarding a vehicle he said he did not own, but for which he had been served.
In other business, the city council:
— heard that a second time-clock for employees has been ordered.
— heard that the parts and materials to replace the check valve causing sewer problems at Tim Peterson's house have been purchased.
— decided after discussion of costs not to rewrite the ordinance on building permits. The council also agreed to offer the building inspector's position in a different manner next year to see if costs can be brought down. Currently the city contracts with the City of Newton for the service.
— instructed Benbrook to contact Stutzman Refuse about city clean-up days and get an estimate on the volume of trash that will be acceptable and the cost.
— approved 2003 year-end transfers from water to capital improvement and municipal equipment.
