The Leachville City Council looked at three bids for a new tornado siren to be purchased with grant funds during its regular meeting Aug. 18.
Mayor Sheila Spurlock told the council the city has been approved for a $10,000 grant, which the council would like to use to put an additional tornado siren up in the city. Bids were for $9,950, $16,000 and $21,500. Two of the three bids were for sirens that did not have battery backups and one was for a siren that council members felt would not reach far enough. After much discussion the council voted unanimously to table the matter until the grant funds come in and more specific information about each siren could be obtained.
Mayor Spurlock also presented the council with three bids to repair the ceiling of the drive through at city hall. The ceiling was damaged during the last storm. Spurlock explained that the frame is rusted and the outdoor ceiling tiles had come down.
Two bids were to go back with the same kind of frame work and outdoor tiles and one from Harlen Jackson was to put up rafters with metal covering them. After discussing the options the council voted unanimously to go with the $1,558 bid from Harlen Jackson for metal instead of suspended ceiling tiles because they felt it would last longer.
In department reports Spurlock said the Police Department has the flashing light going at the school and has spent the first week of school directing traffic.
The Department has also worked several wrecks and has been patrolling Highway 18 that is now part of the city. Mayor Spurlock said she and the Police Department are still working to get some kind of caution light or something to slow motorists down at the intersection of Highway 18 and Highway 119.
The Water Department has its new aerator in and it's working well, the Street Department is still picking up limbs and the Fire Department worked a fire on Aug. 16. The council also said it will continue to review the city's employee handbook and hopes to complete the update soon.
In other business the council voted unanimously to appoint Mari Hayden to the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Mayor Spurlock brought before the council a request from two housing authority employees to be added to the city's Municipal League insurance. In the request the workers said if it would cause the city's insurance to be raised they would not want to be added and if the council decided not to allow their request they could go in with another housing authority to get insurance. The council looked at their Municipal League policy to try to find a way to put the two Housing Authority employees on their insurance. After much discussion and research the council could not find a way to add the two to the policy because they did not meet the city's Municipal League policy criteria. It was with deep regret the council denied the request.
The Council also had to deny a request for a street light. Mayor Spurlock said there are several areas that need street lights but the city has not budgeted for those this year. She did say it is something the city needs to look into in the future.
Before adjourning the council voted unanimously to allow city clerk Ruth Keith to attend two clerk meetings and discussed looking into grants for a city tornado shelter.