Mt. Pleasant City Council okays contract for removal of building

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

It was not one of the Mt. Pleasant City Council?s busier meetings when they sat down late Wednesday afternoon and took care of routine business.

Council members approved the first reading of a proposed ordinance prohibiting parking on a street; approved a contract for the removal of an existing building and extending a sewer line to serve the new park and recreation maintenance building; okayed mayoral appointments; and heard that 2016 will be a busy year in Mt. Pleasant.

Most city residents probably never heard of, nor driven on Bluegrass Street. That?s because the street currently is more or less a dirt road extending from South Iris Street to a dead end adjacent to U.S. Highway 218. Familiarity with Bluegrass may change in the future, however, as Steffes Auction Realty is planning to move its real estate and auction facilities to the north of Bluegrass. Consequently, the city is proposing not allowing parking on the street.

?Future development will be using this road and it will be upgraded to a gravel road,? City Administrator Brent Schleisman told the council. ?We want to stay ahead of the game instead of reacting. An auction house will be located in the area and auction houses can draw a lot of traffic.?

Kinney and Sons Excavating, of Mt. Pleasant, received the contract to demolish the city?s old salt storage building on Henry Street to make room for the parks and recreation building. The site is just west of Van Allen Elementary School. Kinney will also construct a sewer lateral line to the new park and recreation maintenance building. The firm will be paid $19,500 for the work.

Mayor Steve Brimhall?s appointment of Phil McCormick to the airport advisory committee and the appointment of Jeromy Clark to a five-year term on the planning and zoning commission received council approval.

McCormick will replace Kent White on the airport advisory committee as White is now a city councilman and thereby, cannot serve on the committee. McCormick will serve out the remainder of White?s term. Clark?s term will be for five years on the planning and zoning commission. He replaces Andy Zinkle, who has relocated from the community.

Brimhall, during his mayoral remarks, reiterated what he said two weeks ago, relating that the city is poised for a good year in 2016. ?A ton of stuff will happen this summer,? Brimhall said. ?There will be a lot of construction in 2016. We will go through some pain and suffering to get there, but I feel great that there is a lot going on.?

In remaining agenda items, the council approved the preliminary and final plats for the Granolly Subdivision. The subdivision, owned by Grand Properties and Holley Properties Corp., is located on East Washington Street between Wiley?s Interior Furnishings and Design and Carquest Auto Parts store. The planning and zoning commission recommended approval of the request.

The council approved tax abatement applications for 29 applicants for residential, commercial and multi-family improvements made during 2015. The city gives tax abatement on the value of the improvements. Applications are due by Feb. 1 to receive tax abatement.

The final item of business had the council set Wednesday, March 2, at 5 p.m., as the date and time for the public hearing on the fiscal year 2017 budget.

In staff reports, Mt. Pleasant Police Chief Ron Archer said he is still searching for a community service officer. The previous officer, Keith Dugger, accepted a patrolman position with the department.

Council members meet again in regular session on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 5:30 p.m., at City Hall.