Burn Ban in Effect. All outdoor burning is prohibited in Franklin County.
School Zone – the maintenance crew completed the installation of the school zone lighting and signage on Rutherford Street on Friday, August 7. Everything was operational on Monday the first day of school.
Wastewater Plant – The maintenance crew assisted the wastewater plant staff cleaning the mess created by a wastewater sludge line which blew on Monday. Once they have it cleared, they will repair the line. The line runs from the slug press to the dumpster. The attached pictures illustrate the type of work these crews deal with daily.
Fire Department – The department has completed several fire surveys with local businesses. Fire surveys help the business owners recognize potential fire safety issues. According to the Chief these have been well received by business owners. The department will continue this practice to ensure the safety of property owners, employees, and the public.
Code Enforcement – Rodney is attending code enforcement office training this week. He will return to his duties in the city next week.
Council will approve the property tax rate next week. The calculations on the truth in taxation worksheet indicate that the proposed voter approved rate is slightly lower than last year’s rate.
Staff will have a proposed budget ready for council review next week.
The city is accepting applications for the position of utility billing clerk. Information about the position and a link to the application is on the city’s website.
Due to be short staffed in the front office, city hall will be closed from 12:30 – 1:30 Monday – Thursday. This will be remedied as soon as the utility clerk position is filled. Staff is beginning interviews for this position this week.
Little Creek Park – The first phase of the park improvement project began last week. Survey crews were on site to gather data to prepare the contour mapping of the park and mark the location of the new playground. This data will be placed into AutoCAD to prepare the preliminary design. Once the design is prepared it will be presented to council for public comments. Any recommended changes will be made for the final design plan. This process will take 4 -6 months. Once completed the project will be ready to bid. Construction could begin in early 2027 and should take approximately 6 months. If all goes well the new playground will be open next summer. The grant requires the project to be completed by September 2028. Staff will be meeting with the consultants to discuss the design on Monday.
EDC – The EDC Board met on 8.13 and recommended approval of an existing business incentive for the new renovation Ranch Fitness Gym. The owners have completed an amazing renovation of this facility. Please check it out. We are proud to have them in our downtown.