City Council Addresses Citizen Concerns

The  on Monday night addressed a citizen's concerns about the .  

Bill Maxson expressed his dissatisfaction with .   He alleged that a new bus ramp has actually narrowed the road next to his home despite the fact that current construction is intended to widen it. 

Maxson also questioned whether designers of the project had actually walked the land they were developing.  City Manager Steve Kennedy assured him that they did. 

Maxson also said he was frustrated that he never received notice of a meeting concerning the .  The council asked him to resubmit his email address to the city. Mayor Mark Mathews also invited Maxson to take a look at the plans with the council.

"If it's a real issue that everybody agrees on, it will be addressed, I promise you." Mathews said. 

Councilman Bruce Jenkins also told Maxson that the frustrating conditions caused by the construction would soon subside.

The $23 million project was divided into three phases -- widening Jiles Road from the CSX railroad crossing up to Cherokee street and was contracted to Baldwin Paving, constructing a new bridge over the railroad tracks near Baker Road and Interstate 75, and widening Jiles Road between between Baker Road and Highway 41. The project is being funded through the 2005 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

In other business, Mathews presented a Certificate of Excellence to David Malone of Boy Scout Troop 350 for his achievement of the highest rank in scouting, the Eagle Scout award.  The certificate honors Malone for his Eagle Project, which involved renovating an outdoor classroom at which had fallen into considerable disrepair.  Only about 4 percent of all Scouts achieve the rank of Eagle.

The mayor also proclaimed July 2012 as Parks and Recreation Month in appreciation for the work done by the .