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Council hears building repairs update

Staff writer

Shane Marler, director of Peabody Economic Development and Peabody Main Street, brought Peabody City Council up to speed Monday evening on the progress of the American Legion repairs and the roofing project on the Baker buildings.

Marler said the insurance provider for the Legion building is reviewing proposals from several engineering companies for repairs to the building. When approved by the insurance company, the engineer will develop a plan for repairs and rehabilitation. Then a contractor will do the work based on that plan.

“I have met with several contractors,” Marler said. “All of them have estimated the time for completion of the masonry work to be one day to a day and a half at most. Once we get through the red tape, the project should move rather quickly.”

He told council members the roofing contractor for the Baker buildings is sub-contracting some masonry work that needs to be done.

“When those contracts are complete, the work will begin,” he said.

Marler also told the council that he recently had a conversation with an individual who asked, “How is the city going to pay for the Baker roof repair?”

“The answer, which I thought we had covered several times before is that the city is not going to pay for the roof repair,” he said. “The Heritage Trust Fund grant is going to pay for the roof repairs. The only expense the City of Peabody will incur for the roof replacement is the cost of publishing the ‘request for proposal’ in the local newspaper.”

Marler told the council that a new business, Déjà Vu, will be leasing the former Jackrabbit Hollow space and will open Nov. 17.

He also said Dr. Randolph R. Whitely is returning to Peabody and his Heritage Medical Clinic will occupy the space he formerly occupied at 504 W. Fourth St. The clinic will initially be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Marler reported a good response to the Halloween Trunk-or-Treat event and comments from parents that they would like to see it continue.

He reminded council members that Nov. 24 is Small Business Day. Residents of small towns, especially, are encouraged to shop at home for their holiday gift giving on that day.

Peabody Main Street will once again sponsor the annual Holiday Shopping Spree and it will kick off on Small Business Day. Not all the sponsors had signed up yet, so Marler was not sure what the prize categories would be.

“Last year, counting the tickets that were turned in revealed that the promotion had a $30,000 economic impact on the community for the month before Christmas,” he said. “We hope this year will be even better for our merchants.”

In other business:

  • City Administrator Mac Manning presented bids for replacement of the furnace at city hall. The council accepted the bid from Stith Heating and Plumbing for $2,298.65.
  • A decision on repair of a pump at the lift station was tabled, pending an additional quote.
  • Removal of alley lights at specified places in the community was placed on hold to give residents living near the lights additional time to object.
  • Manning reported that the collapsed sewer line in the alley between Vine Street and the Union Pacific railroad tracks in the 200 block of Vine was repaired. Rod’s Ditching Service replaced 20 feet of 10-inch pipe. The collapsed sewer had caused sewage to back up into a manhole at the park gates.
  • Manning submitted a report from Public Works Director Darren Pickens with cost estimates Pickens had prepared for removal of tree stumps and the subsequent sidewalk repair after the remaining trees are removed from the 100 block of North Walnut. Council members approved the expense, which will be about $700.
  • Council member Tom Schmidt reported that the Streets and Alleys committee had met and created a tentative list of the next streets to be repaired. They will make a final selection after Jim Ralston of APAC releases bids on the projects.

The next meeting of Peabody City Council will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 26 in the council room of Peabody City Building.

Last modified Nov. 14, 2012

 

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