City of Florence reviews zoning
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
The city of Florence moved a step closer Monday afternoon to creating areas zoned for residential and business growth. Florence City Council reviewed the final draft of new zoning regulations that have been approved by city attorney Marilyn Wilder. Committee chairman Sarah Cope presented council members with finished product.
Next up for the zoning committee will be a community meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the city building.
Members of the community are encouraged to bring their questions and concerns before the board and council. The city council authorized several copies of the zoning regulations and accompanying maps be made available to Florence citizens at the city building in advance of the Oct. 27 meeting.
Any changes developed at the community meeting will be made and a report will be turned over to the council to approve or disapprove.
Once the plan is approved it will be reviewed by Marion County Commission. Following its approval, the plan will go into place. It will need to be reviewed on an annual basis by the planning and zoning committee.
In other business, the council:
— approved an addition to the employee handbook and to the Americans with Disabilities Act file that dictates employee aid to citizens with disabilities. A plan to build new ramps and resurface existing ones was tabled for more information.
— heard from Communities in Schools director Linda Ogden about a new substance prevention program available. A presentation was made by Jim Campion and Scoot Crandall of "Team Fort Collins," a Colorado-based group working with schools to reduce and prevent risky behavior in junior high and high school students. USD 408 will be the test ground for the program in Marion County.
— heard from Labor Day Committee chairman Trayce Warner that $25,000 was spent on the holiday promotion, but $30,000 was brought in.
— approved a request from five firefighters who will car pool to a "Firefighter One" school in Lincolnville and would like to be reimbursed for gas.
— approved warrants totaling $16,085.90.
— heard from city superintendent Phil Baldwin that he is looking into costs associated with renting equipment to patch and seal some streets, that city employees are ready to winterize the swimming pool and the park rest rooms, and the city's half-ton truck is going to need to be replaced sooner than anticipated.
— encouraged Baldwin to look into a cardtrol set-up for the bulk water meter to make the process fully self-service.
— entered into an executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel. Baldwin and city clerk Darla Gore were included in the session. No action was taken on return to open meeting.
— heard from Gore that an article in August 2006 "Guidepost" magazine includes a story about Food Network host Alton Brown and his trip across country last spring. In an interview, Brown mentions helping with food preparation in the kitchen of the Florence American Legion.
— instructed police chief Erik King to contact the individual responsible for painting a city fire hydrant and have him repaint the hydrant as it is supposed to be.
— heard during community comments that Gary Nesser is pleased with the roundabout at the intersection of U.S.-50 and U.S.-77. Council also heard from Janette Parmley that there is an odor at Grandview Park that might indicate a sewer leak.
