City votes to leave curb alone

A discussion began about an old issue near the Tastee Freez neighborhood at Monday's Oct. 5, 2009, Aledo City Council meeting. Mayor Jack Doherty said he polled the current city council about the issue and they wanted to bring the topic up again. Alderman Robert Rillie said the city put in a curb along SE 3rd Ave in the wrong place. "We spent a lot of money putting it in the wrong place. Now we're supposed to sit and take it," he said.

Rillie suggested the council do the right thing and undo the mistake.

"I'd like to know why it got put there," said Alderman Michael Baugher. "We have a curb that meanders. I think it's dangerous where it is right there," he added.

There was a suggestion to put more dirt in on the yard side, with others saying it would wash away.

"Was the curb originally put there to keep people from parking?" another alderman asked.

There was more discussion about people parking on the boulevard all over the city.

"I make a motion to leave it alone," Alderman Barry Cooper said.

"I second that motion," said Alderman Randy Mattson..

Aledo businessman Lynnie Bowlou, owner of Tastee Freez, asked permission to speak, which the mayor gave.

He explained to the council that three things were agreed to in April 2009 by the previous city council. One was to correct the mistake and set the curbing back, by up to four feet to widen the street. Another thing the council agreed to do was install a stop sign at the corner of SE 3rd Avenue and SE 4th Street. The third item was to put up no parking signs on the west side of the avenue in the residential area.

"I think integrity is involved here," said Bowlyou. "You people work hard on the decisions that are made here. People voted you into office. They told me this and they promised me this," he said. "That curb needs to be moved back to make the street wider."

"I don't even know why we're discussing this here," he went on. "It can't be about money."

Bowlyou said he offered to pay the contractor $1,200 to put the curb in the spot where the council agreed to. "The curb was set wrong," he said.

Alderman Cooper said, "I think they made a mistake," referring to the decision made by the previous city council.

The current council voted four "yeahs" to leave the curb where it sits, with yes votes from Aldermen Cooper, Rich Maynard, Dick Hunter and Mattson. Voting "no" were Alderman Rillie and Baugher. Alderman Terry Bewley abstained. Absent from the meeting was Alderman Tab Balmer, Jr.

The public works director said he would dig up all the information on what occurred and when and report it back to the council on "why the council's decision was defied and the curb put in incorrectly."

In other business the council:

• Accepted low bid of $1,948 from Zenk Contracting for demolition of a house at 405 SE 3rd Ave., once the city attorney gets final agreement from individuals who purchased two year's worth of back taxes on the property. The city will supply the needed dumpsters for the project demolition and cap off the utilities at the edge of the property.

• Learned this year's Trick or Treat hours in Aledo are 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, within Aledo's city limits.

• Mayor Jack Doherty said that the city is accepting donations for city employee Joy Coulter. Her husband Kevin has been having some serious medical problems and she has used up all her vacation time and sick leave.