Hamburg’s council members voted Dec. 19 to seek bids to give city hall a facelift and to move forward with tennis court repairs. Council also heard a report on grant funds and potential changes in personnel.
The city hall vote came at the request of Mayor David Streeter, who told them that if they walked around city hall they would see that there are issues with its gutters.
“It has caused some damage to the siding and there is some exposed wood that is rotting,” Streeter said, telling the council that he’d gotten an estimate to find out approximately what it would cost to bring city hall and the district court area back to, “looking good all the way.”
The estimates were for having the gutters redone with additional downspouts as well as replacing the damaged siding and rotten wood.
“It is rotten on the outside, and the rot has not penetrated into the building,” Streeter said. “It will be an exterior facelift.”
The estimates for the work came to approximately $33,000, Streeter said, with the cost divided between replacing the siding, the gutters and the paint.
Councilwoman Derenda Stanley made a motion for the city to seek bids for the exterior work.
“We need it done,” she said. “We need to keep our city hall looking pristine. When you see exposed wood and rotten boards, it is not appealing to anyone who comes to city hall.”
The motion passed unanimously.
During the meeting the council also voted to move forward with partnering with Hamburg School District to have the city’s tennis courts repaired. The school district utilizes the courts for its tennis teams, and the courts were previously refinished in 2012 as part of a joint use agreement between the two administrations.
HSD Finance Director John Spradlin addressed the council about the partnership, making a presentation to them that was similar to one he made to the school board earlier this month. Spradlin said that depending on what plan is needed or used to make the repairs, it will cost the school district and the city between approximately $65,000 and $80,000 apiece.
Stanley made a motion that the city move forward with the proposal using the repair option the school district recommends but with the contingency that all bidding legalities are met. Stanley’s motion had a second contingency that the approved work could be moved to a more advanced repair option if needed. The motion passed unanimously.
In other news Public Works Director Jimmy Hargis told the council that the city had received a grant for $630,000.
Streeter said that the grant was connected to the city’s extensions of its water system into rural areas. The extensions had cost $1.8 million, and the city had received an initial grant that covered all but $630,000 of the cost.
Hamburg applied for another grant for the balance and received it, he said.
“When we finish with the tanks, we will be free and clear,” Streeter said. “We won’t have to pay that back.”
Police Chief Johnny Oliver also addressed council informing them that he has interviewed a candidate to serve as a potential second school resource officer in HSD.
“This person, they are a law enforcement officer,” he said. “They got out of law enforcement to go back to school to finish a degree, and now they want to get back into law enforcement. They have five years experience in law enforcement.”
The degree the candidate is finishing is a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Oliver said.
At the end of the Dec. 19 meeting, Streeter and the council hosted a surprise dinner for outgoing City Clerk Peggy Akers, who is retiring from the position after 20 years in the job.
