Toward the end of the nearly two-hour board meeting on Monday, July 8, discussion about expanding the city hall was brought up by alderman Cory Hott.
No action was taken on the matter, but the idea was ‘something to kick around’ mayor Jamie Morey said.
Hott’s idea includes making an ‘L’ shaped building by adding onto the current structure. Another option is to build straight out and make more of a ‘T’ look.
The current size of the meeting room is 24 feet by 30 feet and the new addition could almost double the length of the location.
With plumbing and two restrooms already in place, the idea to build on instead of a tear down and rebuild was a more cost-effective option.
The two city employees are in a cramped office space and in this conceptual idea, the office would move to the current meeting space location. The office space would then serve as a walkway/hallway to a new meeting room.
Denise Rouse noted it can take 40 minutes or longer to get the paperwork for the meetings put together because there isn’t enough office space. They use the long table that the aldermen sit at to sort the paperwork, but if someone comes in they have to put the papers up and wait until the office is empty before starting back again.
FIRE UPDATE
Pat Downing, on the board of directors of the Dearborn Area Fire Protection District, gave a positive update for the city’s residents. He noted the district went through ISO reclassification.
A variety of factors are looked at, from gallons pumped per minute, training, flow rate and hydrant types.
The DAFPD district was rated Class 6, but on Oct. 1, they upgraded to a Class 4, one of 6,991 fire protection districts with that rating.
Downing said the higher rating will help with insurance rates and said to call your provider in October to make them aware of the change.
NEWS AND NOTES
Resident Elaine Greer asked about why the minutes of the meeting and financial report were not available online like she was told they would be. The matter would be looked into and after the official copies are signed, alderman Don Kerns said he just put them in one PDF and upload them for transparency’s sake.
Loren Reed asked about digging on city land to connect a sewer main at 203 Maple Leaf Road. He stated when he got the property in the early 1970s there was discussion for connection to the sewer but it never happened. City attorney Dan Fowler said it is the home owner’s responsibility to connect to the city main line.
The aldermen approved moving around the town’s CD into one account instead of several smaller ones that were three or six months or a year. It was voted to roll them all into one 18-month CD.
Alderman Steve Wilson asked what is happening at Paradise Lake, a housing development north of town that has not had much progress.
The city public works department fixed a leak on Monday, July 8. They will bore under 4th and Delaware instead of cutting into the street and coal patching on an upcoming project, which will save money.
Money was approved to lease a new 12 inch bucket for the backhoe, a need that arose from the water leak on July 8.
The basketball court at the park was vandalized with anarchy symbols painted in multiple locations. City crews used two gallons of paint thinner and the artwork still remained.
The signs for the newly renamed Robert S. ‘Bob’ Bryan Community Center were installed. Greer noted that is the fastest she has seen anything happen in town.
The board approved the minutes from the June meeting, where there was a 3-1 vote to put rescinding the poultry ban on the April ballot and approved $120,000 in street work.