The Alexander City Council passed an ordinance accepting the Meadow’s Edge Subdivision “Streets and right-of-ways” into the city. Maintenance of the eight streets and storm drainage systems will now be the responsibility of the city street department. This will also give the city more authority to enforce traffic laws. The streets in Meadow’s Edge are Meadow’s Edge Drive, Fern Valley Drive, Saddle Hill Drive, Woodsgate Cove, Sage Grass Lane, Buckthorn Lane, Woodcreek Cove, and Woodstream Drive.
The subdivision was built in four phases. According to the ordinance Phase-1 engineering plans were registered with Saline County in 2016. Subsequently, Phase-2 was registered in 2017, Phase-3 in 2018, and Phase-4 in 2019. Phase-4 wasn’t completed until some time in 2020. Prior to registering the engineering plans, each phase was approved by the city council.
Two issues have had this final step in limbo. One, was the lack of street lights in Phase-3. The other was the developer never came to the city for final approval and acceptance.
Before the start of Phase-1, Mayor Paul Mitchell told the developer to include street lights. While they were installed in phases one, two and four; they were not included in Phase-3. According to Mitchell the issue of ordering and funding the installation of the lights has been resolved between the developer and contractor.
Normally, once a development is completed, the approval and acceptance process begins by the developer asking for a final inspection by the city. If all of the agreed upon improvements were made, and built to code, the ordinance would be sent to the council for final approval.
With the lack of street lights in Phase-3 the development could not be considered completed. Its been over a year trying to track down who would take responsibility for funding and completing the street light installation. Now comes the hard part; getting Entergy to install the lights.
Passage of the ordinance was accomplished in one meeting due to the attendance of six of the eight council members. With the minimum two-thirds of the council present, the second and third readings could be suspended. With two-thirds of the council present an Emergency Clause could also be approved, allowing the ordinance to go into effect immediately.
Absent from the meeting were Elizabeth Bland (Ward-1) and Dan Church (Ward-3). Present were Joe Pollard (Ward-1), Joy Gray (Ward-2), Lonny Chapman (Ward-2), Harold Timmerman (Ward-3), Juanita Wilson (Ward-4), and Jeffery Watson (Ward-4).
Also at the March 21 meeting:
New employee benefit approved
The council approved providing life insurance to city employees through Liberty National Life Insurance. The monthly cost to the city to provide a $10,000 life insurance policy to each of the 24 city employees is $489.49 per month.
Mitchell noted that this will be one more benefit that will allow Alexander to attract and keep employees, who could easily leave for employment elsewhere. The employee benefits package already includes health and vision.
$30K approved to rebuild fire truck engine
Fire Chief Mark Ridgeway had some bad news and good news for council members. The bad news is one of the fire trucks needs about $30,000.00 of engine repair. The good news is he finally found a buyer for the department’s retired rescue vehicle, which will be sold for $40,000.00.
The Alexander City Council approved Ridgeway’s request to spend up to $30,000.00 to rebuild the diesel engine and cooling system of Fire Truck E-3. Ridgeway said a cylinder head gasket blew out causing coolant to leak into the cylinder and down to the oil pan. The estimate from G&W Diesel Service in Memphis, Tn. Is $29,083.74.
Police need to buy radios before grant will pay
Police Chief Robert Burnett was given permission by the council to spend $9,600.00 to buy three handheld police radios. The actual price is $9,425.11, which the city will be reimbursed through a grant program. Chief Burnett also advised council members another four radios will be purchased using drug fund money.
Last month Burnett said the new radios are needed because Saline County 911 Dispatch is expanding the number of radio channels. The city’s current hand held radios, and two car radios, are too out-of-date to be upgraded.
The next meeting of the Alexander City Council is scheduled for Monday, April 18, 6:00 PM in the courtroom at the Alexander Municipal Complex (City Hall). The public is invited to attend.
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