Cloverdale focused on its finances

Friday, July 15, 2011

CLOVERDALE -- Utilities and finance were the main focus when the Cloverdale Town Council met Tuesday night.

Tree issues took first billing at the meeting. The town, facing damage from storms and other issues to trees in the area, decided to stick to the money set aside for those issues rather than redistributing funds.

Cloverdale will be spending $650 on the disposal of a hazardous tree on Grant Street and will be stopping there. The board decided this was a more fiscally responsible approach to the problem.

"I think we should try to live in our budget if we can," Council Vice President Dennis Padgett said.

The board then approved a $199 sewage system adjustment and $450 filter changes and other maintenance for the utility department's backhoe.

The report from the park board described several projects they are trying to complete. The first project nearing completion is the repaving of a basketball court. The park board is trying to have two 30-foot light poles stripped and painted.

Perhaps the biggest upcoming feat for the park board is its ongoing collaboration with the Police Department to stem vandalism. They have been in talks for months with the police about installing security cameras in the park. The cameras would feed footage to the Park Department that will be available for the police's observation as well. The board later discussed a number of concerned volunteer citizens that have been helping them keep watch for vandalism in the park.

During the building inspector's report, the council decided to take the longer diplomatic approach to a dispute over property between two homeowners and the town.

According to council president Cathy Tipton, the dispute involved Russell Monnett, Wayne Meyer and an alley between properties at 49 and 51 S. Grant St.

The two had a dispute over property lines that ended with one encroaching on the town's right-of-way. The property in question has been surveyed now and the issue is being resolved with help of Cloverdale town attorney Allan Yackey.

Also addressed was the recycling bin located in the parking lot of Cloverdale's Town Hall, which has been abused as of late.

Last Friday -- on what was not the first occurrence --the bin was filled past capacity, with bags being left piled high atop it and on the ground beside it. Many of these bags were not recyclables but trash. The council will be putting notice up near the bin to inform users of its intended purpose. The council expressed hope that the problem will cease so that they may keep the bin at its current location and not remove it.

Lastly, the council again gave audience to Phil Ward of Active Environmental and consideration to his proposal for his company's use of the town's sewage system.

"What they're hoping to do," Tipton said, "is to take the bad water from the former Greg's Pit Stop location, treat the water and then dump the clean water into our sewer system."

The issue had already been tabled once at last month's meeting and was addressed in full for a second time. The process would involve the use of chemicals that the town has no way of testing the water for when it is put into the sewer.

The board expressed doubt in accepting the proposition, as the engagement did not offer enough liability protection for the town. On account of the council's doubts, the issue was tabled once again for a last discussion at the August meeting.

The council has since called an additional special meeting for later this month. The goal of the meeting will be to find a solution to Cloverdale's financial situation with the sewage system.

"We're hoping to be able to fix the shortfall with the sewage plan," Tipton said, "The problem isn't anyone's fault. It is due in large part to the number of vacant homes we now have in the area and the two major businesses that are no longer customers.

"When they originally set the rates, the set them too low and now we're facing a shortfall," Tipton said.

The special meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 21.

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