Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Emergency Sirens In Place

Gurdon's two emergency warning sirens are in place and operational.

The sirens were installed Thursday, July 15, on 10th Street by the water tower and in the downtown area on Front Street.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith informed the Gurdon City Council about the sirens at the regular monthly meeting,

At the January meeting, the city council approved purchase of two tornado sirens from Safety Com, Inc. of Little Rock. The company promised delivery within 10 weeks, but after claiming troubles with the manufacturer they were delayed.

"We have not had pleasant words between us," Smith said on his frustration with Safety Com.

The sirens are up and will be in use by next tornado season.

There were delays in scheduling the erection of the sirens as Entergy was unable to schedule a crew to put the poles in place and hook the sirens to electricity.

However, Smith negotiated with company officials, telling them there could be a delay unless the company wanted to put the sirens up. It did, and did.

Darryl Potratz, former Gurdon mayor, has been involved with Smith to bring recycling to Gurdon. During the council meeting, Smith spoke of the Recycling Revisory Committee Protratz is serving on.

The committee works in cooperation with Southwest Central Regional Solid Waste Management District, which will soon be providing Gurdon with a needs assessment. The professional assessor, contracted through Brown Ferrace, Inc, gives the city suggestions on its recycling plan.

The recycling trailer ordered by the city is in and has been set up at City Hall. The trailer was paid for in part by grant monies from the Department of Pollution Control and city surplus.

Smith hopes in the future to have the trailer opened four or more days a month. "For every ton of waste recycled from the class one waste stream, it will save the city $92.50, which pays for the transportation," Smith conveyed.

The Gurdon Cemetery and local at risk youth both benefitted from some hard work recently. July 6-8, several youths from the Youth Unity Program labored in the cemetery, cleaning it up.

The city contracted with the program, which tries to instill work ethics to at risk youth between the ages of 14 and 18, thanks in part to a grant from the Cabe Foundation, Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan and others.

"I'm proud the city can be a part of it," Smith said.

Harold Hurst, manager of the Water and Sewer Department, said "They must get those easements in," when discussing the Greenville Water Project. So far only four of the 15 homes covered by the project have not signed the easements.

When speaking to the council, Hurst told them if they had to go to court to procure the easements the cost of the project could rise.

The residents need not delay signing up for water. "If you don't pay your money before construction starts, it will just cost them what it costs," expressed Smith. The $125 fee only covers if you are on the list before construction starts.

Gurdon has ridded itself of another vehicle. The 1987 Ford police car parked and not running for a couple of years was sold to the only bidder for $125.

Mark Francis purchased the vehicle which had been bid out before. At the first bidding no bids were received. This time Smith had the council pre-approve the car be sold for salvage if no bids were received.

Before and after the meeting, the council members briefly glanced over the architectural drafts of the purposed water department drive through window and fire department bays.

The water departments drive through would be placed on the Maple street side of the municipal building.

The fire department's two bays and office for the fire chief would be on the backside of the municipal building, facing Cherry Street.