MARTINSBURG — Meeting on Monday evening, Martinsburg Village Council heard that the skateboard park fund totals $1,105.53. Member Matilda Neighbarger reported that a recent bake sale and 50-50 drawing fundraiser had raised $257.65.
All members were in attendance, and resident Lori Justice, who is considering running for the open position on the council, attended the meeting.
Mayor J.R. St. Clair, part of the committee planning the National Day of the American Cowboy Parade on July 26, noted that another bake sale netted $135.28 for the parade.
Village Solicitor John Ryerson plans to meet with County Engineer Jim Henry to discuss the closing of two village alleys, North Street west of Market Street and West Street north of Mechanic Street, as well as a small section of Strawberry Alley. All are technically still open, said Ryerson, and the surveys of 1984 and 2008 show a discrepancy in their description. Ryerson will ask Henry for a recommendation on how to reconcile the discrepancy.
Council member Joe Black donated a fire extinguisher for the town hall, and the St. Clair family donated a new U.S. flag.
St. Clair will proceed with organizing a Community Block Watch.
“After putting out the word over and over,” he said, “about the block watch, I have had no response. People seem to think it’s a good idea, but nobody wants to do it. I’m going to proceed to start it up. It’s something we desperately need. Maybe we can get some people to come forward.”
St. Clair said the town hall sign has been removed for restoration and weather-proofing. He will secure an estimate and report to council next month.
He has asked the fire department for a copy of the most recent no-burn ordinance, and noted that burning is outlawed inside village limits except for occasional small campfires for cookouts.
Council explored the idea of asking someone with a chipper-shredder to place it in the village once a month so residents can dispose of tree limbs and branches.
St. Clair noted that East Street (once known as Clover Street) was closed in the 1940s to become a “play street.” He will consider closing it once again after the new skate park is in use.
Member Stacy Swanson presented a form she created for an incident log so that the mayor and council can document resident complaints and suggestions. The form has room for details, the date the incident was resolved and case numbers, and documentation can be attached. Council approved the form.
Fiscal Officer Dedra Kidwell said she is taking training on budgets on June 10, so council set a budget meeting for Monday, July 7, at 6:30 p.m., in advance of the regular council meeting.
St. Clair said he received an estimate for paving part of Chestnut Alley, which runs behind Town Hall and the Marathon Station, for 363 feet between Pleasant and Liberty Streets. One option — resurfacing with 2 1/2 inches of asphalt — will cost $5,016.39. A second option for resurfacing with 4 inches of asphalt will cost $8,399.46. Patching the other potholes in the village will add $4,826.88 to the cost.
“The problem with the alley,” said St. Clair, “is that it becomes full of holes every year. The whole thing falls apart. I’m afraid if we go patching it, we’ll only get a year out of it, maybe two. And I don’t believe we can do it at all this year.”
He asked Ryerson to consult with the county engineer about the possibility of reconstructing the alley bed, which St. Clair said was never meant to handle heavy traffic such as garbage trucks and the tractor-trailers that deliver to the Marathon Station. St. Clair offered to do some of the patching himself over time by using cold mix the village will purchase.
He said he had been contacted by a resident engaged in a dispute with a neighbor about trees growing on their collective property line. Ryerson said council has no authority over such a dispute.
There was continued discussion about an unsightly property near Town Hall with old trailers that store personal property, which council believes are fire hazards. St. Clair said a qualified builder, a representative from the fire department and he can officially visit the site to talk to the owner. First, however, he will call the health department.
Kidwell reported that payments from the Knox County auditor will now be direct-deposited into the village’s account. She also opened a new account in the village’s accounting software for the Parks and Recreation Department, retroactive to its institution on Oct. 2, 2007. Council approved miscellaneous expenses in the amount of $129.49 to correct an accounting error from January 2006, and voted unanimously to approve these issues or to make resolutions.
