Huntsville Looks At Paving Several Streets
HUNTSVILLE - The Board of Mayor and Aldermen elected to advertise for bids to repave four streets inside city limits at its regular session here Monday evening. Without the vote of Mayor George Potter, the board also elected to move forward with the replacement of a pump at the sewer substation near Tennier Industries.
The motion to let bids on the repaving of the four city streets came by Mayor Potter, who requested that the board elect to advertise for bids on Sexton Road, Strunk Town Road, Laxton Lane and Dan Byrge Road.
The motion passed by unanimous vote after a second by Alderman Charles Lance, despite objections from Alderman Tim Woodward that the town cannot afford to pave all four streets at this time.
Vice-Mayor Gary A. Sexton suggested that the town advertise two of the roads at this point, then advertise for bids for the remaining two streets at some point in the future.
Mayor Potter recommended that the town go ahead with advertisements on all four streets, then determine how much it would cost to pave each of the streets after bids are returned, then make a decision on how to continue.
In a separate issue, the board voted 4-1, with Mayor Potter casting the lone dissenting vote, to advertise for bids on a pump for the sewer pump station just off Old Jamestown Road near Tennier Industries.
The failed pump has been the subject of much controversy between the mayor and the board in recent months, after state inspectors put the clamp on the town's sewer taps until the problem at the station is corrected.
The town's sewer administrator, Danny Phillips, said that the new pump, including labor, would cost around $19,000.
Mayor Potter said that any pump station work needed to be done on grants.
"I suggest we maintain what we've got and do maintenance on it and do it all that way," Potter said, adding that the town would be eligible for grants to complete the station work after construction is finished at the new sewer plant.
Phillips, however, objected to the mayor's suggestion.
"How long is the state going to put up with these bypasses?" he asked.
"These pump stations go down all the time and I write letters that we're bypassing and that's what
has got us in the situation with those sewer taps."
Phillips levied a charge against Mayor Potter.
"What are we going to do in the meantime?" he asked. "I hate to really say this but it has come to
that point: Are we going to cut a hole in the side of it and let it go to the creek like I've been told?"
In response to a question from Phillips, Mayor Potter said the town would be eligible for grants to correct the problems at the pump station in six months.
Woodward said that the town needed to move forward on repairing the pump.
"We've set here for two years already trying to get grants for sewer and everything else and I ain't seen a grant yet," Woodward said. "I think we need to go ahead and get it done."
On a motion by Alderman Kenneth Jeffers and a second by Sexton, the board voted 4-1 to advertise for bids for the pump replacement.
In other business Monday . . .
The board heard from Scott Appalachian Industries Executive Director Larry West, who requested that the town look at a way to build a walkway from SAI's assisted living units on Water Plant Road to the Flat Creek Park, which is located just across the creek from the housing units. Wilson
said that most of the individuals they were working with were in wheelchairs, and that SAI's employees were forced to spend up to an hour loading and unloading their clients for the short trip to the park. A decision was made for the board to meet with SAI and the Huntsville Utility District, which owns some of the property between SAI's housing units and Flat Creek Park, to find a way to proceed.
By unanimous decision, the board elected to re-bid the striping of Old Jamestown Road, Scott High Drive, Glass House Road and Bank Street along the old highway 27.
The board elected by a 5-0 vote to approve a three-month extension for the sewer plant upgrade.
On a motion by Woodward, the board elected to renew the Huntsville Fire Department's county-wide mutual aid agreement for six years, through 2010.
By unanimous decision, the board passed a resolution placing a $500 fee for seasonal fireworks vendors and a $100 fee for permanent fireworks vendors inside the town's corporate limits.
On a motion by Woodward, the board approved a retroactive purchase of four sets of turnout gear, totalling $1,600, for the fire department.
The board also adopted a resolution authorizing a 1/12 continued budget option for the month of July since the town's Fiscal Year 2004-2005 budget has not yet been completed.
Finally, the board adopted a resolution authorizing Bert Walker to record several maps in the Register of Deeds office. The maps detail work done in the town's urban renewal project around the courthouse that dates back to 1975. The project involved some 31 acres, but the changes made were never recorded on county maps.
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