New London sells old police building

By TRISHA PHELPS

Mt. Pleasant News

NEW LONDON ? The New London City Council approved the sale of the old police department building at 106 W. Washington St. last night and heard several requests during its open forum at last night?s council meeting.

The first set of requests made of the council came from former councilmember and New London Resident Mark Hempen on behalf of the Red Flag Horseless Carriage Tour.

?My request for the council is permission to use the city seal to seal the documents at the cars start out,? said Hempen.

The tour, starting Sept. 27 in New London, features vehicles from 1927 or earlier as they travel from New London to Brighton. This year will be the third installment of the annual tour.

At the beginning of the tour, explained Hempen, the drivers receive documents with New London?s city seal and at the completion of the tour they receive Brighton?s seal.

?I?m requesting the use of the city seal, and I would also request the mayor?s presence on that day,? said Hempen. ?Mr. (Kirk) Miller, in years past you have delivered a prayer beforehand, and I would like to extend an invitation for you to do that again this year.?

Hempen also requested that the west side of the square be closed to traffic so that the vintage cars are able to park along that side, as well as police presence to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

The next request of the council came from Paul McPheron, vice president of the Burge Cemetery Association, asking for support in getting better roads leading into the cemetery.

?For the past two years, we have been meeting twice a year with the Henry County Board of Supervisors, presenting them with the idea of we need a better route around Burge Cemetery,? McPheron said.

McPheron informed the council that with the previous county engineer?s estimate, paving or blacktop would be too expensive.

?After that, we found out there is one road in Henry County that is sealcoated,? McPheron said, referring to Jewel Avenue near Mt. Pleasant. ?It is an excellent road and that is what our goal should be.?

If the council would pass a resolution stating its support to get all the roads leading to New London sealcoated, McPheron explained, then it might help to convince the board of supervisors that it needs to be done.

?My thought is this, if you ask for a lot then maybe they will dole out a little,? said McPheron. ?So that is why I am here, to ask for your support. Whether you do or don?t support us that?s your business, but my thought was that if we ask them for a lot (sealcoating every road leading into New London), then maybe they might do a little (sealcoating around the cemetery).?

Because both requests were made during open forum and were not on the agenda as action items, no action was allowed to be made on the requests.

The council also approved the sale of the old police department building to Staley Nehring Construction Company at a price of $150.

The next New London City Council meeting will be Sept. 2, at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall.