City moves forward with financing

The Clarendon City Council moved forward with plans to secure financing as part of its USDA water improvement project last Thursday, February 15.

Aldermen voted in favor of publishing notice in this week’s Enterprise in another step toward issuing $2.522 million in certificates of obligation. That money will be combined with USDA grant funds to provide a total of about $3.9 million to upgrade the city’s infrastructure to improve water quality, elevated storage capacity, and water metering.

The council will meet in April to approve an ordinance issuing the certificates, which will be repaid by a $10 per month charge that is already in place on every water bill.

In other city business, officials reached an agreement on parking in front of a storage building used by Tommy Hill across from City Hall. Hill had painted a “no parking” zone on the curb in front of his 25-foot storefront. That paint is to be removed in exchange for city employees agreeing not to park in that area during the day. Visitors and residents can continue to park there.

Aldermen approved adding “bilingual Spanish” to the list of skills qualifying city employees for additional certification pay.

In his report, City Administrator David Dockery said the signs banning trucks from Third Street had been erected near the new Allsup’s site. He also reported that the city’s new sirens are being painted and should be installed in time for the spring storm season.