LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
CHRISMAN – Veterans Day is fast approaching, and the Chrisman City Council is moving to ensure more local veterans are recognized on the city’s war memorial in time for local services and festivities.
During a council meeting on Monday, Oct. 21, finance commissioner Gerald Hoult informed fellow council members and others in attendance that a new batch of names is ready to be added to the monument, located in Chrisman City Park.
“We’ve got some additional names to go on there. We could have as many as 10 or so,” Hoult explained.
Hoult and city clerk Lela Ramey procured quotes for the cost of the work – both reported that the names could be added at a rate of $40 each. According to Hoult, a fund previously earmarked for work on the veterans memorial has $600 available to spend, but American Legion Post 477 also offered to help foot the bill.
“We brought up the memorial, and the funding that it’s going to take to keep things going and they’re behind us all the way,” Hoult told fellow board members. “Whatever we need for that veterans memorial, they’re going to back us on it.”
A motion to approve the expense was unanimously approved.
The council discussed several other issues and concerns during Monday’s meeting;
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Chrisman’s infrastructure improvement plan and the cost of constructing a new wastewater treatment plant have been a consistent source of stress for city council members. Fortunately, during Monday’s meeting, sewer and health commissioner Bryan Haddix provided information that may alleviate some of the financial pressure weighing on the city.
Haddix enlisted the help of Chastain and Associates’ Bob Colvin to look for grant funding for the project, which ballooned to $10,249,754 after initial estimates in 2020 were roughly 30 percent cheaper.
“He is more than willing to help us look for money (and) for grants for the sewer plant,” Haddix said.
Haddix also told council members at the meeting that Fehr-Graham engineer Matthew Johnson, who has been spearheading the project with the council, was in favor of bringing Colvin into the project.
“He (Johnson) said, ‘We’re going to continue to look for money for you too… I think with your situation, the more the merrier,’” Haddix told the council.
Johnson and Colvin will coordinate to try and cover more ground in their search for grant funding to supplement some of the project’s cost, which was approved in a previous meeting.
After some discussion, the council also approved the payment of an $8,836.10 construction administration fee from Fehr-Graham.
TRACK RESURFACING
After providing information, Haddix asked for some in return. Specifically, Haddix asked what responsibility, if any, the Chrisman City Council had in the resurfacing of the track in Centennial Park.
“We’re not footing any of the bill for the resurfacing of the track at Centennial Park? Now who is going to be liable for maintaining that after this?” Haddix asked.
Mayor Dan Moore responded, explaining that he was told responsibility for the maintenance of the track fell to the school, but neither Moore nor administrators at Chrisman CUSD #6 could find a record of the agreement previously signed by both parties.
Water commissioner Rodney Wolfe asked if insurance liability for injuries at school events held on the track would fall to the school or to the city.
Moore agreed to continue looking for an agreement between the city and the school.
LIQUOR LICENSE ORDINANCE
Discussion concerning a liquor license at 134 West Madison Street continued on Monday after the matter was explored during the council’s prior meeting. Chrisman’s ordinance governing liquor licenses, 113.34, states “no license shall be issued for the sale at retail of any alcoholic liquor within 100 feet of any church; school, … (or) hospital.” The ordinance goes on to explain that “places where the sale of alcoholic liquors is not the principal business carried on” are exempt from the prohibition.
Haddix voiced his confusion regarding where the measurement of the 100-foot exclusion zone should begin, noting the ordinance could call for either a measurement between buildings or a measurement between property lines depending on how it’s interpreted. Haddix also explained the applicant filed for a business that is equal parts pool hall, bar and food vendor.
“We need to dig into that ordinance and really figure out what’s right and what’s wrong,” Haddix concluded.
“Well, we need to clarify that so that anybody can read it and know what they’re reading,” Hoult said, adding. “My opinion is that needs to be defined differently for (businesses) just selling package liquor out of the door versus (businesses with) an open bar.”
No official action was taken on the matter.
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
City Council members reviewed proposed changes to the City of Chrisman’s employee handbook. No official action was taken, but items discussed included changes and clarifications to pay schedules, vacation time, sick time, attendance policy and bereavement pay.
SIGN FOR CHRISMAN CITY PARK
Members of the council discussed instituting curfew hours for Chrisman City Park and posting a sign on the City Square listing those hours. The proposal was introduced by Haddix as an attempt to curb vandalism in the area. A similar sign is already posted at Centennial Park.
“Maybe that will help with some of the nighttime vandalism,” Haddix said. “That would give Tom (Dolan, Chrisman City Police Chief) something to say (to vandals).” No official action was taken.
RAILROAD CROSSING WORK
Moore notified attendees that roadwork is set to begin at the railroad crossing on State Route 1 near the southern edge of Chrisman. Traffic will be rerouted to Cleveland Avenue, Illinois Street and Grant Avenue while construction is underway.
DG MARKET
Moore also reported Chrisman’s new Dollar General Market is set to open in the near future.