The first public hearing held by the Dublin City Council has occurred in regards to the Dublin Economic Development Corporation funding a new digital sign for the Corner Lot.
The Corner Lot is the small park downtown at the corner of Patrick Street and Blackjack Street.
Head of the Corner Lot Gang Donna and Steve Hightower had approached the EDC in November asking for a small community improvement grant for the sign. However, the board asked if they could fund the whole thing - $35,000 from their budget.
Then the council approved the expenditure due to how high it was at its Monday, Dec. 8 city council meeting.
The Corner Lot Gang will be responsible for implementing the messages on the new sign once it is put up. The sign has been inoperable for several years and could not be repaired.
“This is very exciting,” Councilmember Nancy Williams said.
In the Dec. 8 meeting, Council also received an update by Interim City Manager Cameron Ray in regards to Dublin Aero LLC. taking over management of the Dublin airport.
“At this point they are not ready to move forward,” he said.
There has been a group of pilots that are working together to try to help with the maintenance of the airport as a stop-gap measure.
“We are still in high hopes,” Williams said about Dublin Aero.
Council denied property access associated with the property owned by Mr. Timmons near the City Park.
Timmons was requesting the city make the road at the back of the park a city street, and allow 911 mapping off that roadway for his home.
However, the city had concerns in doing so including access during public events when the roadway is closed to allow parking in the city park.
“It’s a Ridgewood address,” Ray said.
Public Works Director Cory James stated that it could potentially affect grant scoring to have a street running through the City Park, due to safety concerns.
The council also approved abandoning undeveloped streets and alleys, and authorizing conveyance to Dublin Self Storage and Bradberry Living Trust.
Ray said there was no way to develop 90% of the land, and no land locking would be done with the conveyance.
Council approved a public works department steel toe work boot reimbursement policy which would allow public works employees up to $200 annually for a pair of work boots.
The policy states if you are employed by the city for less than 6 months, and the employee leaves then half of the money spent will need to be reimbursed.
Employees must also purchase the boots, bring the receipt and get reimbursed for the amount spent, not just $200.
The benefit totals about $1,800.
The council also approved a public works on-call, callout and overtime policy that spells out what the department is already doing, just in writing.
In the policy, those on call outs before 6:45 a.m. or after 4:15 p.m. get paid two hours.
If called out during lunch, it is time for time, and those eligible for overtime have to work 40 hours per week.
Those who are on call also get $130 extra per week.
The city is also adjusting the amount of comp time individuals can carry from 40 hours to 60 hours, and school resource officers to 120 hours, however it must be depleted down by Aug. 1.