Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Okolona meetings calmer; no controversial issues

Okolona town meetings are now begin differently than they did before, when controversy was the main issue of the day.

Since the town's new mayor, James Paul, took over in January the meetings have a new sense of control.

Citizens who may wish to address the council are now free to do so.

However, Paul told the council at the Tuesday, June 3 meeting, "We're going to do things a little differently tonight."

Paul said due to a special presentation, the council would handle town business first.

Paul said he had visited the Clark County Sheriff's Office where he amended the report filed by Miles "Moots" McCauley stating an Okolona resident was stealing from a locked city building.

Paul said he amended the report in order to clear the individual's name since the individual was hired by the city to remove junk from the city's property and the citizen never entered the building or stole any items from the property.

Paul said he also received a letter from the Okolona L.O.V.E Council, requesting it be allowed to remove items belonging to the L.O.V.E Council from the old Cafeteria by May 10.

Paul said he had no business giving the council permission to enter any city property without it going before the council first.

"They knew we had a meeting just before they sent the letter. I don't understand why they weren't present to ask us permission then. I told them if they could show us some receipts for the purchase of the items in the building, then the city would have no problem letting them have it. I haven't anything else about it and no one is here tonight," said Paul.

Okolona's fire chief recently requested Paul to send a letter to Chris McKay and Joy McElhannon to ask them to return the fire department's radios and turnouts since the two had resigned from the fire department. Paul said he sent the letters and the equipment was eventually returned after a letter from the prosecuting attorney was sent.

The new 2003 Dodge pick-up discussed and approved for purchase by the city council for the purpose of a Water and Sewer Department vehicle, is on it's way. Paul said the truck should be in use in about two weeks.

He pointed out the new windows placed in the front of the community building. Paul said this was just the beginning of repairs and restoration he would like to see done on the building.

"I would like for any citizen or any council member to give some input on what to do with this building to make it more appealing to the eye," said Paul.

"I would like to get some central heat and air in here. It will save us some money in the long run and make meetings more pleasant.

"We have also taken the old light fixtures down out of the old Christian Church. We are going to place them in here. That a way the church building may be gone, but it won't be forgotten and eventually we can place a plaque in here to let people know where they came from."

Paul said the city is still in violation of the state law by not having a certified water and sewer manager.

"We are going to have to have someone. The man that is helping now from Delight isn't going to be able to help forever. If we cannot find someone certified we will pay to train them," Paul said.

Paul said it would take a person 120 class hours to be certified.

A special presentation was given to the city about getting and updating the Okolona water system.