The Smithville aldermen have still not taken action on the future of the golf course.
During Monday night’s city council meeting, Alderman Steve White mentioned that the greens would be re-seeded and fertilized once the weather warms up. “The seeding and fertilizing of the greens hasn’t been done yet. They’re waiting on some warmer days in a row. Otherwise if they put the seed down it wouldn’t germinate properly so it would be just wasted money if we did it right now, until we have a few 40 to 50 degree days in a row.”
White also made a motion that bids be advertised once specs are drawn up on repairs and maintenance of the municipal swimming pool. The board approved White’s motion. “I met with one of the guys who has done work on the pool in the past. With it (pool) empty we needed to see how bad it was. He looked at it. I think what we need to do is go ahead and advertise and get some bids in that way we can get a jump on the pool because it will take quite a bit of time for them to finish it. There’s quite a few cracks (in the pool). There are some softer spots or leaks and some structure cracks. All of those have to be repaired and then of course it’ll need the gel coating. That should hold it for approximately ten years”, said White.
Alderman Aaron Meeks also mentioned that some maintenance work will have to be done soon on the clubhouse, but no action was taken on that Monday night. “From the visit we made to the golf course, there’s going to be some repairs that’s going to be required on the club house. It’s not been maintained through neglect or whatever, I don’t know the reason and I wouldn’t begin to establish a reason or cause but there’s going to have to be some renovations and improvements made to the clubhouse at some point in time too”, said Meeks.
With no tenant or anyone to manage it, the municipal golf course remains closed for now.
Meanwhile, the aldermen approved the list of officers and members of the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department. Chief Charlie Parker included the request in his monthly report to the board. Parker said the department held it’s election of officers about an hour before the meeting of the mayor and aldermen Monday night. The following officers and members were approved by the department: Charlie Parker-Chief, Hoyte Hale-Deputy Chief, Jeff Wright-Captain and Training Officer, Danny Poss- Lieutenant, Jon Poss-Lieutenant, Donnie Cantrell-Lieutenant, Anthony Wright-Lieutenant and firefighters Wink Brown, Charles Young, Wallace Caldwell, Gary Johnson, Randall Hunt, Stephanie Wright, Glen Lattimore, Ronald Whitaker, Patrick Edge, and Greg Bess- Photographer.
Chief Parker added that “December starts a new year for the fire department. We had a busy December with a total of seven alarm calls, three motor vehicle accidents, eight landing zones, and two structure fires.”
Police Chief Randy Caplinger, Bobby Pinegar of the sewer plant and Public Works Director Kevin Robinson all gave their monthly reports to the mayor and aldermen.
Concerned citizen Gary Durham addressed the mayor and aldermen briefly asking them to again consider taking action to update or develop a new twenty year plan setting goals to meet future needs. Durham said he had surveyed 44 city residents and all had expressed support for a twenty year plan. Durham added that “it’s up to you to do what the people want, or what you want.” Mayor Taft Hendrixson said the issue will be referred to the city planning commission which meets the first Thursday night of each month.
Unless there is a need for a special meeting, the mayor and aldermen will not convene again in regular session until Monday, February 7th at 7:00 p.m. There will be no meeting on Monday, January 17th due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday.