Peabody city council meets with property owners
The Peabody city council met with two residents about dangerous structures on their properties Monday night. Betty Sebree and Archie Riggs attended the meeting to discuss their plans to remove or repair buildings.
Sebree agreed with the council that the garage and outbuildings on her property need to be torn down. She said her son and son-in-law had begun emptying the garage last fall. She requested a 90 day period to complete the work and the council agreed to her request.
Riggs told the council that for health reasons, he could not repair the roofs of two garages he owns on north Olive Street. He said his son and son-in-law will be in Peabody in August and have volunteered to do the work for him then. The council granted him an extension until August 31, 2002, to get the work completed.
The council went into executive session with its attorney for half an hour. No business was conducted in relation to the executive session when the council returned to open meeting.
Gail Abney and Melinda Lambert from Utility Maintenance addressed the council concerning completely cleaning the sewer lines in Peabody. After discussion, it was decided that they would return to a future meeting with a proposal for a four year and a five year regular maintenance plan. The council will consider budgeting for the project for 2003.
Darren Pickens asked the council to consider having Liquid Engineering clean and paint the water tower interior. After discussion, the mayor instructed the city clerk to look at the contract the city currently has with Water Tower Paint and Repair and bring information on the contract to the next meeting.
City employees Pickens and Ronnie Harms will reduce their hours from 50 to 48 a week beginning May 1, 2002 and gradually reduce them further in the coming months. The city clerk will gather information for the council on the actual dollar amount saved as their hours are reduced, on labor laws, and on regulations regarding "on call and compensatory" time.
Pickens and Harms will create a job description for an additional part time employee who will work from May 1 to August 31, 2002.
The city approved new signs for the convenience store at 9th and Walnut. The business has been purchased by Phillips petroleum and new signs will be installed by the company. Since the signs are larger than the existing signs, the change had to be approved first by the zoning board and then by the city council.
Non-city employees who take training on the city's behalf will be compensated if they must take a day away from their regular job. They will be compensated $50.00 a day with prior approval of the council.
Councilman Dallke requested that Pickens prepare a report for the council covering water leaks. Dallke would like to know how many leaks the water lines have, their location, and how they were repaired.
In regular reports the council heard that the city clerk had sent four more letters about nuisance properties, discussed bids on the city shop but took no action, and heard a report on the swimming pool deck repairs. Joanna Brazil, Susan Marshall, and Muriel Wolfersperger all urged the council members to attend the upcoming annual Main Street dinner.
The council members and city employees will participate in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters "Bowl for Kid's Sake" fund raiser March 10th.
