Mayor B.J. Meeks opened up a public hearing concerning the request from Billy Atkinson Jr. and Steve Yarnell to rezone property on Hagan Avenue from highway commercial to multi-family residential property.
Citizens in the audience expressed concern about drainage issues along the road and Meeks said while he has not looked into the situation in depth yet, he believes the property owners would be willing to work with the city to come up with ideas that might help reduce flooding in the area.
“I will look at that more closely if this is rezoned because it will still be a problem whether the property is commercial or residential,” Meeks said. “There might be a way to create a lake or a pond at the back of the property to help collect water. It might even be possible to direct that water back to the river.”
Meeks said the water has been a problem along Hagan Avenue stretching from Kentucky Fried Chicken all the way to the railroad tracks. He hopes the city, working with the property owners, will be able to help with a lot of drainage problems by coming up with solutions to the issues concerning the property up for rezoning.
Once the council votes on the ordinance at its next meeting Sept. 15, Meeks indicated Atkinson and Yarnell and the city would be able to work together on site preparation at the Hagan Avenue property that could potentially cut down on flooding of nearby properties such as a trailer park and other businesses.
The council also held a town meeting at the end of its regular meeting, addressing various concerns of citizens in attendance.
In response to one citizen, Meeks said he will encourage the Police Department to enforce the 11 p.m. curfew the city currently has in effect.
James Lee told the council he does not appreciate people hanging out at the basketball court near his house playing loud music and keeping him awake most of the night.
“It is sad for a man to have to wear earplugs in his own house to get some sleep,” Lee said. “People are staying out there all night. They’ll be out there until two or three o’clock in the morning and they’ll be back at 6 a.m. When does that give me time to rest? I call the police but they don’t always make them leave. I don’t care what people think of me, I have to live out there.”
Lee said he has personally made the people leave the basketball court on some occasions. Meeks asked Councilwoman Bonnie Carter if she thought they could enforce the curfew and she said they could try.
Also during the meeting, the council:
• Approved the minutes from a special called meeting July 29 and its regular meeting Aug. 4.
• Awarded the brush truck bid for the fire department to the lowest bidder, Fire Rescue Help Group at $72,320.80.
• Reset the date to receive bids for cemetery trees to be cut to Sept. 14.
• Approved hiring Matthew Neil Johnson at the police department at a wage of $11.50 an hour.
• Approved travel and training fees of $65 for the ACE coordinator, the mayor and the chamber director for an ACE Seminar Sept. 30 in Montgomery.
• Approved purchasing a computer for the Parks and Recreation Department for $1,120.
• Approved invoices.
• Discussed closing an open sewer attracting mosquitoes and the possibility of finalizing a lease on the armory by the beginning of the year.
