Clean-up, city bonuses top agent for council meeting

Clean-up by Kajacs, the firm which did the water and sewer work for the city garnered some of the most discussion during the Marked Tree City Council meeting Monday night.

The discussion began when councilman Waylon Dunn asked, "Are they about ready to start (clean-up) yet?"

"They were going to start (last) Friday, but we got that big rain," said Mayor Dixon Chandler.

From that point a number of members of the council spoke of different areas where Kajacs had yet to repair fences and other area where they had dug up or left ruts in yards.

"We've been patient," continued Dunn. "but there have been times when they could be doing something. If they didn't have that big trac-hoe they use there would be a lot less mess than they have now."

"Until we really put the pressure on them, they're going to take their time," continued Chandler. "We can make June 20 the deadline to start cleanup around fences and other places to the extent that they satisfy customers."

City Clerk Pam Wright then said she had received a suggestion from a water customer which seemed like a good idea, but hadn't been able to get with the May about, yet.

"They said we should have a form to fill out so (Kajacs) can see what needs to be done," said Wright. "There have been a lot of complaints about unfinished worked by the company."

The council then voted unanimously to require the work to be started by Saturday, June 20 and to have a form made for customers.

Editor's note: In a phone interview Tuesday morning with Mayor Dixon Chandler he said he had been informed that Kajacs had started work on clean-up Monday. He added that the forms would still be available for citizens to specify what needed to be done on their property.

The Council also voted to give city employees a $150. bonus due in part because the city was not able to give very much in the for of raises last year. The vote for approval of the measure was unanimous, but not without comment by two councilmen -- Dunn and Cleo Johnson, Jr.

Both, while knowing the employees needed the bonus, said it seemed to them that the city was just spending money too fast in many cases.

When asked, Wright pointed out that the bonus was not in the budget and would total about $4,500.

In other business:

* Wright the sales tax was not going down regardless of the economy. Chandler added that according to his information, every municipality in the county ws experiencing an increase in sales tax revenues.

* At the urging of Johnson, it was agreed to put pea gravel, much like is done at the elementary school, in the playground area at the Carver Center.

* Chandler said he had learned of another company which can construct the splash pad for the recreation park and may be able to save the city as much as $20,000 to $30,000. He said he would inform the council once he had more information.

* Also, with regard to the sports complex, Chandler said the irrigation should be finished by next week, weather permitting and then the lights could be in within about two weeks.

* Chandlers said all that was lacking on the dog pound was piping and lights which should be completed soon.

* The mayor said remote gates for the area behind city hall would cost about $13,000. He added that till the city had such a system in place, the building and the back gate needed to be locked.

* In executive session, hired Tracy Bond for the Water Department.

* Minutes, financials and committee reports were approved after some discussion.