Council approves fireworks permit for Thursday night

The new Marion Avenue Baptist minister Joseph Brown addressed the Washington City Council about a fireworks permit Wednesday night. Joseph became the pastor last Sunday after his father Larry stepped down. The church will host an event known as ?Our Time Youth Program? tonight at the Fairgrounds. The highlight of the program is a fireworks show, which will begin at 9:15 p.m. and last approximately 25 minutes. The council voted unanimously to award the permit to Marion Avenue Baptist Church.

Joseph said the event has been held at his father?s residence in the past but could not be held there this year. City Councilor Bob Shepherd said he was pleased the church notified the public in advance. He said the fireworks scared people in the area last year because they were not aware there would be fireworks that night.

The council also held a public hearing on the demolition of three buildings on South Marion Avenue ? 207, 209 and 211 South Marion. No one from the public spoke. The city plans to demolish the buildings in late May or early June. The reason for doing it then is that the next door business owner to the north ? Dr. Sergey Floryanovich ? will be on vacation at that time. City Engineer Rob McDonald told the council at a prior meeting that if the demolition interrupted Floryanovich?s business, he could make a claim against the city.

The council voted unanimously to hire an executive search firm to look for City Administrator Dave Plyman?s replacement. Plyman will leave Washington in late May to move to Rochelle, Ill. where he will become that town?s city administrator.

Plyman informed the council that a business in town wants to expand, but it may have trouble doing so because of the low water pressure coming into the building. Plyman said the city could learn more about its water pressure and its rate of flow if it performed a water tower hydraulic analysis. The information from that analysis may be helpful in addressing the business?s concerns. The council unanimously approved a hydraulic analysis. It will cost $4,300.

?We?re not required to do it (the hydraulic analysis), but it?s smart to do it,? said Plyman. ?We want to do it before putting up a new water tower.?

The council heard a presentation from a telephone and Internet provider from Fairfield called Natel. Natel President Mike Schill addressed the council about the possibility of installing an antenna on a water tower or other tall structure in town. The councilors said they have to be cognizant of Federal Aviation Administration rules that govern the height of tall structures when putting up antennae.

Schill said Fairfield is known as an entrepreneurial town in part because of its broadband Internet. Schill heard that the council was interested in televising its council meetings on a local cable access channel. He said that the council could also ?webcast? its meetings over the Internet.

Police Chief Greg Goodman told the council about his department?s need to fill a vacancy. Officer Michaela Scarff resigned from the force in March. The council voted to hire deputy Robyn Hoppman as a part-time officer.

Goodman also spoke briefly about the fact that kids have entered the Mills Seed Building. He said the police can?t tell how regularly they get in, but that they have gotten in. Shepherd said the building?s owner, Jeremy Patterson, should be made aware of the breach.