Hawkins City Council
Steps taken for sewer upgrade; Property in transit to be taxed
By JOHN SPARKS

 

Meeting in regular session, Monday, October 15, the Hawkins City Council proceeded on steps leading to the use of grant funds of $250,000 for sewer line repairs and passed an ordinance that would place a tax on tangible personal property in transit. The council also denied a request for use of the community center by the Girl Scouts.

Even though there has not been a resolution to a dispute between two bureaucratic bodies regarding grant funding for local projects, the council is proceeding with the preliminary steps required to put a $250,000 grant to use in a sewer project. Hawkins application apparently qualified for the grant in question, but a dispute between two state agencies regarding the selection process has delayed formal approval.
 

The preliminary steps approved at this council meeting were to accept an agreement with Gary Traylor and Associated for grant management as well as an agreement with Wisebaker, Fix & Associates for engineering services on the project. If and when the dispute is resolved and Hawkins is awarded the grant, Traylor will receive $34,000 for grant management services while Wisebaker will receive $41,000 for engineering services.
 

Mayor Sam Bradley presented a new ordinance to the council which allows the city to place a tax on tangible personal property in transit. This tax is levied upon goods that are held in the city for 175 days. An example of such goods “in transit” would be the thousands of reclaimed tires held in inventory by a local industry. The Wood County Tax Appraisal District would establish a value on such goods and the City of Hawkins would levy the taxes. The ordinance was adopted on a unanimous vote.
 

A request from the girl scouts to use the Community Center on a continuing schedule was denied by the council. Discussion on the issue centered on the limits imposed on the council with regard to use of the facility in an informal agreement with the group which originally established the facility. It is used for special gatherings and for the preparation of the “Meals on Wheels” program.
 

An agenda item regarding petitions in support of bringing the proposed Wood County Emergency Services District to a vote was tabled until the next meeting. Apparently, not enough names have been collected at this time.
 

Al Harris was the unanimous choice as Hawkins nominee for a seat on the Wood County Appraisal District Board of Directors for 2008-2009.
 

Mayor Bradley called for community service by dump truck owners to move dirt from the school to the Hawkins Youth Foundation Association Park. The Mayor is offering to provide gasoline or diesel fuel for those volunteering their time and rigs. In another matter related to the HYFA youth sports park, Councilman Dwayne Hickey said the Hawkins Community Development Corporation had a budget allocation for the development of soccer fields at the park.
 

Council also approved of the annual contract with Wood County for Fire Protection and Emergency Services. The contract provided for the distribution of county funds to Hawkins Volunteer Fire Department as well as 11 other fire departments serving citizens in Wood County. The county allocates funds to the Wood County Volunteer Fire Chiefs’ Association, which distributes the funds to each qualifying fire department.
 

Mayor Bradley reported on an incident in which Police Chief Ron Voda was bitten by one or more abandoned dogs. Two adult dogs and 12 puppies were picked up in the incident. Apparently, a family moved out of a home leaving the dogs.
 

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Hawkins City Council is scheduled for Monday, November 19 at 6 p.m. A special meeting of the council can be called with 72 hours public notice.