Earle finishing up 2018 business

Earle finishing up 2018 business

News & Notes from December Council Meeting

By Mark Randall

news @ theeveningtimes .com Earle Water Department hopes to have a new water pump installed at its Second St. pumping station by the first of the year to help solve a sewage overflow problem on Red Haw Drive.

Water Superintendent Danny Clark told the City Council that the design work has been done and that he is just waiting on the contractor to find time to do the job.

“It’s all designed,” Clark said. “Now it’s just a matter of getting it all in.”

Clark said they will remove a three inch pump at that station and upgrade it to a four inch pump.

The city fixed the manhole and the water line but now needs to put the new pump in. Currently, they have a four inch pump at the Arkansas St. station handling the water into the manhole, but the line from the manhole going to the pump at Second Street is moving water into the three inch pump that can not handle the capacity.

“We have a bigger pump at Arkansas St. and South Acres and I had it rebuilt so that it is much stronger than it has ever been,” Clark said. “It’s pumping more water than that three inch can pump.”

Clark said he doesn’t think he will have it done by Christmas, but should have it in by the first week of January.

“That’s going to take care of our problem when it is all put in,” Clark said. “I told them I would like to have it done by the first of the year.”

In other business:

• The City Council adopted the 2018-19 millage rate of 2.0 mils.

• Passed a budget amendment to clean up 2018 budget overages to reflect actual expenditures.

• Approved giving department heads a $100 year end bonus and $50 for employees.

• Approved paying $1,1887 for Fire Department runs and to give fire department volunteers a $30 year-end bonus.

• Authorized the mayor to apply for a $2,200 Local Law Enforcement Grant.

• Passed resolutions condemning property at 1401 4th St., 1405 4th St., 1416 4th St., 1605 4th St., and 500 Alabama St. to be a nuisance, dilapidated, and unsafe to the public welfare.