At their regular meeting on May 24, 2016, the Eutaw City Council approved a schedule of qualifying fees for the municipal elections to be held in August. The qualifying fee for the Mayor’s office will be $50 and the fee to qualify to run for City Council will be $25.
The elections will be held on August 23, 2016 and the first official date to qualify will be after July 5, 2016.
The Eutaw City Council had a second reading of a Resolution on Demolition of Condemned Buildings. This resolution provides for the City to invoice property holders for the demolition costs of abandoned, burned or otherwise uninhabitable buildings in the city. A resolution listing three properties that were recently demolished: 1. 152 Vera Vista Street ($2,000); 2. 104 Elm Street ($2,500); and 3. 304 Kirksey Avenue ($3,000) was approved by the City Council. If these properties are sold, the City expects to recover its funds.
Council members said there were several other buildings in the city that also need to go through this process since their owners have abandoned them and they are a health risk to the neighboring dwellings and residents.
The Council also agreed that they would not go on private property to cut grass. They will cut grass and remove trash on city right-of-ways but not go on private property. Property owners will be informed of the need to care for their own lots and areas. Ken Aycock, City Attorney, was asked to draft a resolution clarifying this issue for passage at the next Council meeting.
In other business, the Eutaw City Council:
• approved submission of the Municipal Water Pollution Prevention (MWPP) annual report to State of Alabama Department of Environmental Management;
• approved the first reading of a Sub-Division Purchasing Agreement for housing lots to be sold by the City;
• approved a resolution to ALDOT in support of a state project to replace the traffic lights on all four corners of the Courthouse Square in Eutaw.
Mayor Hattie Edwards reported that she was still working on the major projects with USDA for improving the water system and fire protection and with ALDOT to repave Prairie Avenue.
City Inspector Torris Babb reported that the Prairie Avenue project was moving toward bids. He also reported that as he traveled around the city, he found a number of construction and repair projects that had not secured the proper building permits from the City for work that was underway. He urged the contractors to secure the proper permits and meet city regulations.
Council members reported on various street and drainage problems in their districts in need of attention and care by city staff.