By By BILL CRIST – Publisher
A group of residents that live on Dogwood Lane and Dogwood Lane West presented the council with a petition asking that they deny a request for an easement that was made at last week's meeting. The group, which was represented by Ann Jordan and Gayle Ladnier, presented the council with a copy of its request and the signatures of every property owner on the street with only one exception.
The council unanimously approved three appointments to a pair of city boards at its meeting.
Francis Hayes was re-appointed to the water board, and will serve a six-year term.
Dave Avant, whose term on the Housing Authority expired later this month, was re-appointed for another term. Eulean White was appointed to fill the seat of Lenstine Woods, who is resigning.
Danny Howard, Earl Lambert, John Angel and Cary Barton were appointed to a committee to work with carnival operators that come to Brewton. According to Brewton Mayor Ted Jennings, the council had discussed forming this committee a year ago in an effort to avoid problems with carnivals that set up within the city.
The council agreed to pay for the demolition of the building on the old Western Auto property. The project, which was requested by the Tree and Beautification Commission, will cost the city $3,500 and will allow the commission to plant trees over a larger area.
Jennings also reported that the city had received an additional $125,000 from the NRCS for work on two drainage ditches, one near Westgate Village Nursing Home and the other from Spring Drive to Sowell. The additional funds bring the total received by the city to $400,000.
Councilmen Walter (Jake) Lewis and Mervin Huff asked to address the council.
Lewis said he was proud to announce that his five-year project of replacing the North St. Joseph Street bridge was just about complete and thanked the mayor and council for their help seeing the project to its conclusion.
Huff said he was concerned about brush piles on city streets and said he had an ordinance he would like to present to the council. He also described a conversation with someone who had moved from California that he saw putting trash in a dumpster over the weekend.
City Clerk John Angel said that Habitat for Humanity would hold a groundbreaking ceremony at it's newest home on Thursday, April 10 at 5 p.m