That's a rumor that's getting louder and louder, according to Council President Scott Mills.
Mayor Coleman reported that he talked to Walmart officials 3 weeks ago and was told that it was not happening.
But---and this is only speculation on my part---could that be why the well-connected owner of the empty lot at the corner of Bishop and Wilson Mills is anxious to get an issue on the ballot, allowing drive-throughs in the city for the first time ever?
First Aid and CPR class.
The city's fire department is sponsoring another CRP and First Aid class on June 27th. From 10 am to 1 pm. Call them if you are interested in attending.
The new assisted living facility on Bishop Road.
Although their construction sign was a bit optomistic as to the completion date, it sounds like the operators of the assisted living facility are getting close to asking for an occupancy permit.
Unfortunately, they will also need to submit a new landscaping plan because they have discovered that deer are plentiful in our city and that the deer very much enjoy the plants, trees, and shrubs in the original landscaping plan.
The continuing saga of the old pool house renovation project
When Councilman Anderson asked for approval to hire an new architect (who did not have a conflict of interest) to work on the project, he specifically promised that the architect would render not just drawings, but specifications that could be used to immediately put the project out to bid--and that he would be done with his work in as quickly as two weeks.
That was over a month ago. While Mr. Anderson has pointed the finger at other council members in the past, accusing them of being at fault for delaying his pet project, it appears that the architect he selected still has a ways to go before council can begin discussing any next steps.
Apparently the architect has produced some drawings, but they were not stamped, it is unclear whether they include specifications, and any final specs that the architect produces will have to be put together with other material--not provided by him--to make up a bid package.
Currently there are a number of issues that remain to be resolved. Among them:
Mr. Valentino of the Park & Rec Committee apparently insisted that all of the exterior electrical plugs near the old pool house---plugs that the city uses for HOME DAYS---be eliminated.
So, does that mean residents will have to trip over extension cords during Home Days from now on?
Councilwoman Murphy pointed out that a lot of different groups (baseball, Home Days Committee, and other park-centered groups) currently use the old pool house for storage, and Service Director Tom Evans confirmed that his employees have a workshop and use other areas of the old pool house to store the equipment and other things that they need for park maintenance.
The project design calls for a community center-like building, with multiple meeting rooms, having a capacity of almost 200 people, which eliminates most of the storage area that is currently in use.
After Mayor Coleman said he didn't want to build a new storage building, Mr. Anderson suggested that everything could be stored in the old church building on the city hall property.
So does that mean that our city workers, who maintain the park, will have to relocate their workshop and equipment to the old church building--the same building that Council President Scott Mills has declared is unsafe and closed to residents?
The architect's plan also didn't show the location of water and sewer connections.--although how one could renovate the buidling, install new bathrooms, etc., without know where they were located is beyond me.
The city engineer contract
For the first time in the city's history, Mayor Coleman asked council to approve a contract hiring Andy Blackley's firm, Stephen Hovanscek & Associates, for a two year term. Until now, such contracts were awarded on an annual basis.
Council, by a 4-3 vote, approved that contract.
Voting to engage Mr. Blackley's firm through 2010 were: Ed Hargate, Frank Legan, Ted Anderson, and Jamie Pilla.
Voting no were: Cathy Murhpy, Scott Mills, and Leo Lombardo.
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