Aldermen okay three-year plan for City Hall

The Clarendon City Council approved a three-year plan to bring City Hall into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) when it met in regular session last Thursday, April 27.

City Administrator David Dockery presented the plan by Pioneer General Contractors, which is estimated to cost $61,650.

Dockery outlined the changes required for City Hall, noting that he exterior ramp will have to be changed because it is too steep, the outdoor payment box will have to be moved because it extends into the walkway, handrails will have to be replaced, and the exterior steps at the building’s west entrance will have be replaced because they are uneven. The main entrance to City Hall will have a push button door opener added.

Inside the building, light switches will have to be lowered, changes will be made to the service counter to accommodate customers in wheelchairs, and the bathroom will have to be reconfigured.

The building’s compliance with ADA requirements is necessary because of federal funding the city will be receiving to undertake a $3.9 million water infrastructure project.

In his administrator’s report, Dockery said projected costs on the water infrastructure project are now at $4.3 million and the city is working to “value engineer everywhere we can” in order keep the project on budget.

“It is the staff’s intention to do the whole project even if we have to do some of the work ourselves,” Dockery said.

Also last week, aldermen discussed the city’s rules on paying utility bills after Alderman John Lockhart received several complaints from customers who received late fees after Easter. City Hall was closed on Good Friday, April 14, and payments were due April 15.

Customers who did not come in the office April 13, did not leave a payment in the city’s drop box over the weekend, or make other arrangements – such as pay online or pay by bank draft – were subject to a late fee on Monday, April 17.

Lockhart asked for the item to be considered, but after meeting with city personnel and studying the situation he believed no changes needed to be made to the city’s rules.

Dockery said extending the time for late fees would impact when late notices would go out and could result in people being cut off before being notified.

Alderman Doug Kidd sympathized with those who received late fees.

“I would have assumed I had to Monday to pay,” Alderman Kidd said. “I feel for these people because we’re the ones who chose to close on Friday.”

The council also discussed a possible exemption from distance requirements for businesses wanting sell alcohol near a school or church.

A variance request is still expected soon for one property, and the city administrator is hoping to get away from dealing with variance requests on this issue. More information is still being gathered on the idea of an exemption for the council’s future consideration.

Dockery presented a bill to the council for a new septic system installed by a couple in the northeast part of the city. Donna Barnes reportedly told the administrator that her parents had been promised city sewer service some 40 years ago and the family had again been promised service eight years ago.

Dockery said there is no sewer line in that section of town, affecting over a dozen households, because of the expense of laying a line across Clarendon Creek and the necessity for a lift station in that area. Such a project would likely cost between $1.5 and $2 million, Dockery said. Barnes and other residents without sewer service do not pay a sewer fee. The council took no action.