Florence council to consider plan for infrastructure
June 4 meeting
By SUSAN MARSHALL
News editor
With only a week between meetings, Florence City Council made quick work of a brief agenda Monday night and then spent more than an hour discussing some issues with long ranging repercussions for the community.
Florence Economic Development director Sarah Cope submitted her resignation to the council and mayor. After discussion of the work that went into creating the city's new planning and zoning ordinance and the history of Cope's position as a volunteer coordinator, Mayor Gregg Winn noted he would accept her resignation.
At the beginning of Cope's tenure as economic development director, the city agreed to pay for Internet access for her home computer as a tool for searching out projects and information helpful to city growth. Council members agreed to continue payment until the end of the calendar year in appreciation of her service. The motion passed 3-0-1 with Randy Mills abstaining.
No replacement for Cope was named.
Discussion of some minor street and culvert repairs led to a proposal by Mills to create a comprehensive plan for mapping the city's infrastructure and making a list of problems to be addressed during the next several years.
"We keep bringing these things up and then ignoring them or at best just patching them up to make do," Mills said. "We should make a list of long range goals and figure out which ones can be handled by the city or volunteer labor and which ones will need professional assistance.
"I think there is a lot we can do on our own, but we need to have a plan and we need to get at it."
Mills will provide equipment, fuel, and his own time to begin looking at the culverts on the east side of town. The council has long been aware that during periods of heavy rain, water flows freely through the culverts and ditches until it reaches the flat area of town on the east. Silt, trash, and vegetation has caused culverts and drains in that area to be almost completely clogged.
Mills and other volunteers will start cleaning those culverts and move west. He also said if they encountered problems and needed professional help, he would prefer the city hire local contractors when possible.
Council was advised that more young people seem to be using the city pool this season. Early estimates indicate the increased pool population might be the result of the construction of Marion's new pool this summer.
Council approved a pay hike for lifeguards. The city began the season paying them $5.25 per hour.
After discussion, council unanimously agreed to increase that to $5.50 per hour for new hires and $6 per hour for returning lifeguards. Staff members new this year will be eligible for the $6 per hour rate next year if they return to work at Florence.
In other business, the council:
— approved the purchase of a John Deere pull-behind mower to facilitate mowing the dike. The cost of the mower is $4,000.
— heard Kaye Electric will be in town to look at the emergency siren and a malfunctioning transmission chip.
— approved the purchase of six new police uniforms for $438.91.
— agreed to have police chief Conroy Miller get transmissions of both police cars checked and serviced for not more than $150 per vehicle.
— heard that Miller will be addressing a group of children at the city library during the summer reading program. Miller will explain how to conduct an investigation using fingerprinting techniques.
— heard from Del Leeds that Jackie Sigwing has almost completed upgrades to the city web site that will make it compliant with government regulations for handicap accessibility.
— heard Marion County road and bridge supervisor Jim Herzet looked at the log jam at Cottonwood River bridge. Because of the position of the log jam, it was Herzet's opinion the county would be unable to assist in moving it. The aging bridge is not capable of supporting the equipment to move it from above and it is too far from the banks for county equipment to reach it. City superintendent Phil Baldwin will continue to seek a solution.
— heard from councilman Trayce Warner that an answering machine had been installed at the pool, women's water aerobics will start Monday, the rest rooms at the ball field need to be painted on the inside, and the ball field is in need of a load of dirt on the infield and rock on the parking areas. She was instructed to seek out costs on dirt and rock. Baldwin was asked to remove the largest set of bleachers as a safety precaution and rearrange the remaining four sets to allow for two sets on each side of the field.
— addressed a request by councilman Dan Ludwig to have the lighted score board at the former football field moved to the baseball diamond and put back into service. Baldwin was instructed look into the project.
— agreed to allow the Boy Scouts to handle concessions at the ball field as they did last summer.
— heard that Mayor Greg Winn will be attending a Marion County mayors' meeting Thursday evening in Hillsboro. County mayors will begin meeting on a regular basis.
— agreed to invite Newton mayor Willis Heck to a future meeting for a presentation on future construction involving U.S.-50.
