WASHINGTON: Washington City Council and Board of Public Works and Safety met briefly night to approve one transfer of funds, a handful of ordinances and a street closure for a fast-growing festival taking place next weekend in the city’s downtown. Those on hand also heard about some much needed improvements to the 15th Street railroad bridge that may be on the horizon.
During the council meeting, members approved a $5,000 transfer of funds from one portion of the city clerk-treasurer budget to another to pay for the salary of part-time employee Beth McGookey who is the lone candidate running for clerk-treasurer. Current clerk-treasurer Karen Brown is not seeking re-election.Three ordinances, fixing the compensation for city firefighters and police officers, as well as that of elected officials and one ordinance changing the cost of deferral programs were also approved.
City attorney Tim Dant said at the previous city council meeting that the cost of the deferral programs had changed several times since the program was first approved in 1998 but the city had never updated the ordinance.In other business Mayor Joe Wellman said councilmen Jim Greene and Jason Petty recently met with CSX Railroad officials to discuss much needed work to the 15th Street railroad overhead bridge.
“Jason and Jim attended the meeting and it looks like things may be progressing a little on that bridge,” said Wellman, who said the city and county may join forces to remedy the old bridge.Dant said the bridge has weight restrictions in place and signs will soon be posted stating that trucks over 5,000 lbs. cannot cross the bridge – including emergency vehicles.”A lot of the details still need to be worked out,” said Dant.
