The Noel City Council agreed to purchase street signs in an effort to fix a traffic problem brought before the board by Trent Riley at the council's April 14 meeting.
Riley said there are people driving up to 50 m.p.h. on Park Street. He said there are several children playing up and down the street, including some kids who play basketball. He said if one of those children were to run out between vehicles when a speeding car was coming, it could be bad.
"There is a traffic issue that needs to be corrected," Riley said. "If one my grandkids gets hurt, I will be one unhappy grandpa."
Riley also said there is a problem with tractor trailers driving down the street with no lights and having to back up to get out.
The council will purchase, "No Through Traffic" and "No Trucks" signs, but decided against putting in speed bumps to the damage to vehicles they could cause.
Marshal's Office
City Marshal Paul Gardner told the council of problems with each of the city's two patrol cars.
Gardner said on one of the carts, the air conditioner has been out of service for two years and has led to a humidity problem. He said he recently took the car to the automotive department at Crowder College and found the compressor needed to be replaced.
He said if the compressor is replaced, you have to replace the condenser and dryer to get a warranty on the compressor. Gardner told the council parts would cost about $400 with another $500 cost for labor.
On the second car, Gardner said a "manufacturer's defect" in the bottom door hinge has led to the car being taken out of service. He said the hinge makes the door unsafe. Gardner said he will see if Rusty DeMoss, nuisance abatement and animal control officer for the city, can fix the door before anything else is done.
Nusiance Abatement
The council approved a volunteer to help DeMoss in his role as nuisance abatement officer. The volunteer will issue warnings with DeMoss to follow-up if the problem is not corrected.
Street Department
The council approved hiring a part-time worker for the street department for the summer. The council also approved purchasing a 61-inch mower deck at a cost of $1,400 in order to have a second riding mower.
Willis said since there was not much "rollover" in street funds from last year, she doesn't plan any major paving projects this year. She said the street department will patch holes as needed, once they the ground is dry so the material will not just come right back out. Willis said the salt the city uses on snow covered streets is the cause of a lot of the potholes.
Other Business
• the council tabled purchasing a door for the recycling center at a cost of almost $1,600;
• revenue in the amount of $81,956.97 was noted by the council and expenses of $117,133.17 were approved, which includes the city's annual worker's compensation payment, a 39 percent increase over last year;
• the council approved election results and saw the oath of office administered to the winners of the April 7 election; and
• approved Mayor John Lafley's nomination of William Rose as mayor pro tem.
General News on 04/23/2015