Maplesville council updates sidewalk project
Published 9:06 pm Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Maplesville Town Council devoted the first part of its meeting Tuesday night to a review of the town’s pending sidewalk and street lighting project.
Maplesville received a grant for the project starting July 11 and ending Oct. 8.
John Stevens of Sentell Engineering provided an update on the project’s progress.
Stevens was working with Norfolk Southern to fix a drainage problem. The cost of installing drainage pipes along the truck route was less expensive.
As a result, the contract had to be changed to reflect the new cost of the project. This changed the total project cost from $93,470 to $107,005, an increase of $13,353.
Town Clerk Sheila Haigler said the town must pay 20 percent of the total cost.
“You’re still looking at a project around $107,000 without landscaping,” Haigler said. “That’s $5,000 more than we intended.”
New light posts are expected to arrive by Oct. 28.
The council approved the new contract, and Mayor Aubrey Latham signed it during the meeting.
In other business, Christine Epperson of the Maplesville Fire Department provided the Fire Department’s report on equipment and job applications.
Epperson said new equipment has been ordered and should arrive this month.
The council voted to accept Jamie Smitherman’s application to volunteer at the fire department.
Police Chief Todd Ingram provided the Police Department’s report, which included a request for an officer to work the Sunshine football game on Oct. 21, as well as all subsequent playoff games.
The council approved the request to pay an officer about $24 an hour for away playoff games.
In old business, the court approved a revised ordinance for raising court cost fees.
In new business, the council voted to donate $250 to the Chilton Education Foundation again this year to buy school supplies for students.
Haigler said the garbage department is having problems with residents not bagging disposable items in waste containers and leaving items too heavy or too large for garbage employees to pick up, such as couches.
“All we’re wanting to pick up is household garbage,” Latham said, adding that the garbage department does not pick up tree limbs or brush.
Maplesville will participate in the Toys for Kids program again this year, but Haigler said that along with their completed applications, parents must bring documents such as birth certificates, valid paycheck stubs and proof of food stamps, as well as a $2 non-refundable application fee.
According to Haigler, the council helped about 90 families last year.
“We thought this might cut down on some people just trying to cheat the system,” Haigler said. “ I think we need to try to help as many people as deserve it.”
In the financial report, Haigler reported a balance of $12,904.54 on a sewer loan and a balance of $9,122.84 on a Fire Department loan for SCBA units.
CLARIFICATION: The Clanton Advertiser wants to clarify parts of the story titled “Maplesville council updates sidewalk project.”
In Maplesville’s pending sidewalk and street lighting project, John Stevens of Sentell Engineering was working with Norfolk Southern to fix a drainage problem.
However, Stevens and the council have decided that installing drainage pipes along the truck route will be less expensive. No construction will be done on railroad property.
Mayor Aubrey Latham signed a revised contract Tuesday night stating the new total cost of the project, which is $107,005, and the town of Maplesville will pay 20 percent of the total cost.
Also, in the financial report, Haigler reported a balance of $12,904.54 on a sewer loan and a balance of $9,122.84 on a Fire Department loan for SCBA units.
No new loans were added to the town’s existing loans.