Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

City In Good ShapeBY JOHN MILLER (cont)

nitoring garbage collection and determining what can be done to reduce our costs.

"The year 1997 was good for the City of Gurdon," he continued. "We worked and obtained thousands of dollars in grant monies. We saw our utility cost at City Hall reduced by almost $2,000, by making energy conserving improvements in the latter part of '96.

"We've continued to gain ground in the proper storage of records and documents and worked harder and harder to make the most concise financial statements ever provided for our council people to work with."

Gurdon also saw the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system go on-line during the year. This, Smith said, should help save many lives.

The mayor's office has been working to draw new city maps, which will hopefully be completed this year.

"The voters approved a + cent sales and use tax," he said. "Funding from this source will not cure all of our problems, but it will allow us to maintain an efficient police department and provide other services as promised to our voters.

"This year we hope to being and complete the renovation project of City Hall," he continued. "This project will be made possible by grants from the Horace C. Cabe and Louis Cabe Foundation. Our intent is to make the building more attractive and functional to the general public and for the city's employees."

A new vault will be added to City Hall to protect the city's valuable and important documents.

"This year," he said, "we will have new challenges before us, such as animal control, a tornado warning system, establishing a recycling program, getting our newly established rescue unit off the ground, remodeling City Hall and working to provide better services to our people.

"This year, we will see a general election which could mean new people to work with in our local, state, county and federal governments.

"We've seen the establishment of one new industry in the Gurdon area recently and have already been contacted by three new prospective businesses this month. Several people on the east side of town have expressed their desire to be annexed into the city.

"Should they petition the (Clark County) quorum court and city council to do so, we will have this to deal with."