Next week the Columbia Board of Aldermen will consider lease options for a potential landfill site and revising rental rates at the Expo Center, among other matters.
The Board meets in regular session at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall. During its previous meeting, Nov. 21, several items were delayed for further talks.
Among them is a 16th Section Land lease with the Marion County School District for property near the Marion County Transfer Station on Mississippi 586. The property currently houses the city’s police firing range and is among the sites being considered for use as the city’s landfill when the site on Airport Road is closed for the runway expansion at the Columbia-Marion County Airport. Recently, the land was reappraised, and lease costs jumped. The Board will discuss the lease options.
The Board also took under advisement a grant for the Columbia Fire Department written by Jared Evans. The Board is slated to discuss the grant proposal in the near future.
The Board also tabled discussions on revising rental agreement prices at the Columbia Expo Center.
During the Nov. 21 meeting, the Board also learned that sales tax numbers received in November for September’s sales tax receipts were down slightly over 2016. This year’s $246,375.87 was down .09 percent from last year’s $248,725.01. The number actually exceeded the 2015 number, which was $246,362.88.
The Board also heard a report from Building Inspector Lonnie Stringer and learned that several properties discussed in previous meetings had been cleaned. Those properties include:
• 415 Chinaberry Ave.
• 1201 N. Park Ave.
• 1805 N. Main St.
The Board also scheduled hearings for moving and cleaning on properties located at 413 Chinaberry Ave. and 1005 Church St. The Board scheduled a hearing for a demolition at 800 Willow Drive and for demolition bids for a home at 616 Alberta St. The Board also issued a notice for demolition for a home at 1207 Gill St. and a notice to demolish and clean the lot at a property located at 933 West Ave.
In other business, the Board:
• Accepted a bid from Wig’s Scrapyard for scrap metal from the water department. The bid price was $7 per hundredweight.
• Accepted the resignation of firefighter James Givens.
• Hired Nicholas Wade Creel as a firefighter.
• Promoted Sgt. Nate Cook of the Columbia Police Department to lieutenant.
• Accepted the resignation of CPD officer Ray Loftin.
• Removed water meter tampering fees on three cases that were determined that damage was not the fault of the customer.
• Moved several vehicles to the surplus property list, including a 1999 Dodge Ram C75 and a 2007 Ford F-250.
