Bath Town Council meeting notes

The Town of Bath Council held an abbreviated meeting Tuesday evening, March 6 due to the amount of time the council has spent working on the next fiscal year’s budget. The meeting lasted about an hour.

Historic Landmarks
Mayor Susan Webster read a letter from Jeanne Mozier of the Bath Historic Landmarks Commission requesting permission to place a plaque on the train depot at 504 North Washington Street commemorating the 1914 date of construction.

The letter also requested a $40 donation to help pay for the plaque. The council voted to allow the Commission to place the plaque and to donate the $40.
Constitutional amendment?

Rob Campbell approached the council with a proposed resolution to support a call for the U.S. Congress to begin working on a Constitutional amendment to ban corporate contributions that try to influence political campaigns.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Skinner asked that consideration of the resolution be postponed until after budgets are done and the council has had a chance to research the proposed resolution.

The council voted to put off consideration of the resolution until the May 15 meeting.

Water Works
The mayor and council asked Chief Water Operator Terry Largent to review engineering plans for the next phase of the water line replacement project to make sure the engineer’s drawings meet town needs.

Mercer Street project
The council approved a $2,937 payment to Dennis Schaffer of GHS Contracting for Gabion baskets purchased for the project to shore up Mercer Street behind CNB Bank. Phase I of the project has been completed and Phase II will likely start this summer.

Traffic codes approved
The council held the second reading and passed ordinance 2012-01 adopting the state traffic code as the town’s traffic code.

Committee reshuffled
The council appointed Skinner as the chair of the grant committee. She replaces Councilman Vince Kidwell who recently took the job as Town Recorder. In addition to town recorder, Kidwell will serve on the public safety and ordinance committees.

Skinner will attend a grant writing conference in Columbus, Ohio April 11 – 12. Webster asked Town Clerk Debra Peck to call Region 9 and ask if they could pay for the conference.

Resolution approved
The council voted to join Morgan County in the pursuit of a $10 million TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) grant. John McCracken has been working with county Grant Assistant Carol York on the grant application.

If awarded, the town would receive $2 million and the county $8 million for projects.

As a show of support for the grant, the council pledged $1,000 in matching funds.

Tree Committee
Councilman Andy Swaim reported the tree planting for the Streetscape project on Mercer Street has been completed with the exception of four Crape Myrtles which are scheduled to be planted later this month.

Swaim said the committee is working on a form that citizens can use to request tree inspections on trees either on town or their own property. The committee has several experts who can determine if a tree is in trouble and needs to come down, Swaim said.

Make It Shine
The town is still looking for volunteers and volunteer groups to help with the yearly Make It Shine program. This year’s date is Saturday, April 14. Those who would like to participate should contact Bath Police Chief Craig Pearrell.

Court Clerk
Codi Ford, who has worked in the town office for several years, is the new Town Court Clerk. Ford has also been hired as a full time employee of the water department.