Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Council Has Plenty To Keep It Busy Monday

It was a busy night for the Gurdon City Council, Monday, as the city's governing body had much to discuss.

The night began with the panel examining the Gurdon Water and Sewer Department's looking into purchasing a new truck.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith said the department originally solicited bids for a new truck, but rejected them as all were higher than expected. It's next venture was an attempt to go through state purchasing, but was too late to get in on this year's deals.

Now, the department, if it still plans to buy a new truck, must again solicit bids. But, Smith said, it must advertise these bids for three weeks statewide. This will put bid openings in August.

If the department waits until September, the new state purchasing contracts will be in place and it can then go through state purchasing for a better overall deal. Smith said a new truck could be purchase for $3,000 or $4,000 less this way than through a bid.

By law in Gurdon, any purchase over $5,000 must be done by bid process. This law was changed by the state to $10,000 a few years ago, but the city never adopted it.

Karen Parker, a member of the council, asked why representatives from the Water Department or the Water and Sewer Commission aren't in attendance at the council meetings. If they were, she said, they could keep the council abreast of what the commission was doing.

Smith said the commission meets every third Monday, adding council members should also attend these meetings.

A letter will be drafted to the water department asking for a representative to be at council meetings.

The Gurdon Police Department has a 1987 Ford car to be sold to the highest bidder. This was tried before with no bids forthcoming.

However, the city will take sealed bids again, opening those received at the July meeting. If none are submitted, or accepted, the city will then sell the vehicle for salvage value.

There was good news on the Gurdon Fire Department front as the Insurance Service Office (ISO) recently inspected the GFD and lowered the rating to a class 7 for the coverage area.

Work has been underway on the Old Whelen Road by the Gurdon Street Department. The road has been widened, with the ditches dug out and culverts installed.

Clark County Judge Floyd "Buddy" Manning has said the Clark County Road Department will pave this road from the Gurdon city limits to Highway 53.

At this time, the Gurdon airport is closed as work on the runway hasn't been completed. This, Smith said, is due to recent bad weather.

However, a national car club, the Stock Car Club of America (SCCA), is being asked to hold one of its events at Lowe Field.

The SCCA currently holds its Governor's Cup competition at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs. Smith has been working with representatives of the organization to get the event moved to Gurdon.

It's not a drag race, he said, but driving skills tests with the vehicles involved rarely going faster than 60 miles per hour.

The SCCA, he said, holds driving schools and teachers police officers how to drive. Such an event, he added, will not harm the runway.

On the solid waste front, trash bins were again the topic, with little to be done on the issue until contract negotiations with the company are completed. The city's contract with A&M Waste will be up in about two months.

Currently, Smith said, the contract reads crews will only pick up bagged garbage. When the contract is renegotiated, he continued, the city may be able to save money by assuring the haulers this section of the contract will be enforced by the city.

With animal control in the city, he said, there will be little problem with dogs getting into garbage bags.

A grant from the Cabe Foundation is helping Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan realize a goal. The grant will help fund a Youth United Program to help at-risk young people do odd jobs during the summer months.

Smith said the contract will be with the Youth United Organization, with the young people involved getting paid minimum wage for their work, having to maintain a dress cods and being under adult supervision while working.

At this time, he said, one of the street department employees is having medical problems. Some of these young people could be hired to do weed eating for the city during the summer, as those in the program will be 14-18-years-old.

The city's attorney said there would be no problem in doing this as the organization has liability insurance and the city would be contracting with it. The city normally hires part time help during the summer for such chores.

Two bids were received for a recycling trailer. One, from Pro-Tainer of Alexandria, Minn., was for $6,650, while the other, from Holt Speciality Equipment of Eaglesville, Tenn., was for $5,050.

Pro-Tainer's bid stated delivery would be in 30-60 days, while Holt's bid stated a 30-day delivery time as required in the specifications.

The council went with Holt's bid.

In a final order of business, the panel approved a resolution to close the bank account created when the Gurdon Rescue Unit was being organized. Now, the unit will be funded through the GFD as was planned from the beginning.