Florence city council restricts access
In a final effort to keep a burn pit in Florence for disposal of yard waste, the city council voted 4-0 Monday evening to allow monitored dumping for two hours every week.
Effective May 14, the area will only be open from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays during the summer months. Tentative plans are to change the hours to 4 to 6 p.m. during the winter. A city employee will be on duty when the burn pit is open to the public so that the items being dumped can be monitored.
Citizens will no longer be allowed to check out a key at the city office and leave yard waste at the burn pit unsupervised.
City superintendent Stuart Funk also received permission from the council to look into the purchase of a taller chain link fence to go around the area.
In other business, the council approved the use of the 8th Street football field by the Florence ambulance crew July 21 for a training session.
Members approved a request by Funk to add gravel to the road to the city springs in preparation for a wedding which will take place at the springs later in May. Funk also agreed to do some tree trimming in that area and to add rock to the cemetery road.
Funk reported on the observations of a company wanting to sandblast the water tower and gave an update on the progress with the filter system and clear well for the city water system. He received permission to rent a post hole digger to dig the post holes for the fence around the city equipment lot.
Councilman Dan Ludwig reported that Ted Ferrier, who represents Mountain Springs Bottled Water, had contacted him last week about truck transportation out of Florence for the bottled product Ferrier's company is hoping to market. Ludwig noted that water testing still is being done, but that Ferrier indicated the project still is moving forward.
Larry Timm announced that there will be two softball teams playing in Florence during the summer. Florence also has been selected to host a tournament. Timm reported to the council that the lights will be hooked up, some bleacher boards replaced, and the ball diamond will be painted.
Funk added that the lock on the equipment building had been "jimmyed" during the winter and would have to be replaced.
Council members briefly discussed some additional projects such as painting the pool house and the concession stand, but no action was taken.
On a motion by Timm, the council agreed to allow Cecil Barnes of rural Cedar Point to rent a dumpster for two months.
The council voted to go in to executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel. No action was taken when they returned to open session.
