Harper appointed to fill council vacancy
The Florence City Council Monday night approved Mayor John Lehman's appointment of Bryan Harper to fill the Ward Two council position vacated at the last meeting by Tim Parmley.
Parmley's resignation included his position as Florence fire chief. Tony Leeds was appointed to fill that slot and City Clerk Darla Gore was appointed Freedom of Information Officer. All three were sworn in by Lehman.
City superintendent Ken Hoffman gave the council an update on damage and repairs to the filtration system at the water plant. Hoffman reported the city imported 70,000 gallons of water from the city of Peabody Thursday and Friday.
U.S. Filter, the company that created the plant's filtration system, had a technician on site by Friday and he was able to get both pumps running by Monday morning, after parts for the units arrived.
The technician recommended the city consider installing a lightning suppresser. Hoffman told the council he will get further recommendations and return to a future meeting with specifications and cost estimates.
Economic development chairman Sarah Cope reported the Florence chamber had agreed to fund the printing of 5,000 brochures promoting the city.
David Darling with the state economic development department will be in Florence June 3 to meet with Cope, her committee, the council, and interested residents. Topics for discussion and meeting times will be announced later.
Cope also corrected the appointment May 3 of Jolene Gayle to the economic development committee. The appointee should have been Bev Baldwin. The council made the correction.
The council also:
— approved warrants in the amount of $16, 873.76.
— approved appointments to Florence Library board. Virgil Britton was appointed to a first four-year term and Jolene Gayle was appointed to a second four-year term. Board members are only allowed to serve two consecutive four-year terms.
— heard there was no new information from city engineer Stuart Porter on repairs to the clear well deck. Discussion of the problem was tabled until a future meeting.
— heard the new filter pump for the swimming pool will arrive this week. The pump cost the city $1,700. Hoffman reported on repairs and wiring upgrades he and part-time employees are doing to get the pool ready to open.
— established that businesses cannot burn lumber or wooden pallets. Council again discussed options for maintaining a burn pit, but came to no conclusions. An instructional sign at the pit will be reinstalled.
— approved use of the former football field by Belinda Engler who would like to keep a horse and horse trailer there from time to time. Engler uses the horse in her work with students at Oasis School.
— agreed to wait on a legal opinion to decide how to compensate Hoffman for overtime hours.
— heard from Scott Zogelman that Florence has the only all volunteer ambulance crew in Marion County. Savings to the department is approximately $36,000 a year that would normally be paid out for wages and "on call" time.
