Members of the Brandenburg City Council met for the first in the new year with new council member at the table during their regular monthly meeting Monday (1/11) night.
Michael Kelly officially took his seat at the table replacing Maggie Love, who retired from the council after serving the city twenty years. Love was in attendance Monday night to receive a clock presented to her by Mayor Ronnie Joyner at the beginning of the meeting. The council began their work on projects after a nearly hour long public hearing related to the city’s waste water treatment plant facilities plan. The hearing is a requirement every three years to update the council on the plant along with the future changes related to the relocation of the waste water treatment plant due to the Nucor Steel project. A committee meeting with the state is expected to take place Tuesday (1/12) morning and finalize approval for the plans of the new facility. If that approval is given, the city council will meet during a special called meeting at 5:15 pm Tuesday (1/12) afternoon to give their approval on the project and financing.
In a related issue, Councilman Bryan Claycomb informed the council that the bonds for the project would be sold on January 21, but there would be fees needed to be paid before those funds would be available causing the city to borrow an additional $200,000 to pay those design bills and would be reimbursed upon receiving funds from the bond sale.
In other business, Kenny Rambo and Heather Whalen, of Heartland Communications gave a presentation and update on the new city website. Website visitors should be transitioned to the new website in the coming weeks once final adjustments are made. Among the new features of the site will include registration system for the city park and campgrounds reservations along with utility payments and updated city information in a stop source.
The council approved the second reading of an amendment to the sign ordinance. City Clerk Amy Haynes reported that donations were up during the 2020 Christmas By The River event. She reported 7,883 vehicles visited the event with donations totaling $7,580.37 which averages to about 97 cents per car. The donation box was up by $3,180 from 2019, which city leaders will use those funds for the 2021 Christmas By The River.
Mayor Joyner provided the council a list of potential items or projects to be considered for use of excess funds. He said not all of the items would be done at the same time, but the list was to allow the council to prioritize or add their ideas to the list for consideration as the funds allow. Items included on the list were a new police vehicle, maintenance truck, a vacuum truck and new tasers for the police department. Council members will have time to review and provide guidance ongoing list as needed.
You can watch the entire regular monthly meeting of the Brandenburg City Council in our “On Demand” section.
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