The Dublin City Council voted to close the public works yard at 602 N. Morton to the public on Monday through Friday and make it available for residents on the first and third Saturday of every month from 8 a.m. to noon.
Public Works Director Cory James said he wanted to make the move because there appears to be a lot of people from out-of-town dumping items during the week and he’s like to “limit the free for all that’s been going on for some time.”
The facility will be available for Dublin residents only on the first and third Saturday every month (excluding city holidays). Homeowners must show their water bill and driver’s license with matching address and signin with an attendant before using the site.
Bulky items such as furniture, mattresses, rolled carpeting, appliances (not containing harmful chemicals like freon) will be accepted.
Items also accepted include scrap metal, fence sections and grass, leaves, brush and tree limbs.
Prohibited materials include: concrete, paint, large rocks, chemicals, tires and batteries.
The city reports that anyone receiving payment to haul waste from a residential site to the city yard is in violation of state law.
For more information, call City hall at 445-3331.
Council members present also unanimously voted to waive park fees for the Dublin Chamber of Commerce for the Hispanic Heritage Festival which is being planned for Sept. 17- Sept. 19.
The plans are for a much bigger celebration than the previous Fall Fiesta with food vendors, a rodeo, a trail ride, a parade, a salsa contest, dances with live music, a Christ across Cultures Celebration for local churches to gather together and a ‘big top with a car show, cooking demos, folkloric dancing, dancing horses, rope tricks, live music and more.
Juanita Torres spoke as the chairman for the festival in requesting the fees be waived. She also reported plans for the sale of alcohol and a “Biergarten” downtown, asking for the intersection of S. Grafton and W. Elm to be closed. City Manager Bobby Mendez reported the north barricade would need to be after the city parking lot access so first responder vehicles wouldn’t be blocked.
Mendez also reported that the council wouldn’t be able to vote on the alcohol issue as it wasn’t on the agenda. Event organizers are planning to partner with a local TABC license holder and get an event license that would allow for the Biergarten on Sept. 18. They were asked to continue working on that agreement and pursuit so there would be more information for next month’s council meeting when they decide on alcohol sales for the event.
Things Celtic owner Lanora Davidson spoke in favor of beer sales at the beginning of the meeting saying that she’s seen the positive impact it can have in drawing people to festivals.
Jeff Slaton with Diamond Cross Rodeo also introduced himself to the council, saying that he’s looking to bring professional rodeo back to Dublin with the help of Dublin Rodeo Arena’s Cody McClinton. Plans are underway for a Sept. 10 rodeo at the city park arena.
Slaton said that his group has been running a Monday Night Madness Series in Glen Rose which has been bringing 300 people per night and that he would like to start a lasting annual event to Dublin with fundraising that would go to local youth organizations. (Slaton reported that the Glen Rose series raised money for scholarships to GR students.)
Council members also unanimously accepted Blue Cross as the city’s health insurance and accepted the appointment of Lanora Davidson to the Dublin EDC seat vacated by Dr. Joe Cannon. (Davidson has been serving as interim board member for several months.)
Ben Pate also spoke to the council commending the new disc golf course work and its signage, noting how good it all looks.