Brief Meeting For Bovina Council = Special Meeting June 4

By Mary A. Crisafulli

BOVINA—The Bovina Town Council held a brief May meeting. The top items were permitting sign installation and highway plans.

Sign For Bramley Mountain

The Friends of Bramley Mountain Fire Tower requested that the town install signage along Townsend Road indicating how to reach trailheads. The letter stated that a sign would help those misguided by GPS. Many people have reported being told to go down Martha Lane in Bovina to reach the mountain. The trailheads are located along Glen Burnie Road. The group would like a sign just after the intersection of Townsend Road and Bramley Mountain.

The council agreed to install a sign if the group pays for it and to discuss placement options with the group.

Highway

The Highway Department plans to stone and oil New Kingston Mountain Road this summer. They have already begun prepping the road by filling potholes and working on the shoulders. Highway Superintendent Edward Weber said the work will take roughly two days once scheduled, with assistance from neighboring towns.

The highway department urgently needs a full-time heavy equipment operator. The starting pay is $22.43 an hour with a CDL or $19.14 an hour without. One of the staff, he said, has been out sick, leaving the department with just two employees. "This has been going on for a long time, and we need to hire someone else," he said. "My issue is finding someone, which is very challenging," Weber added that the two staffers are hard-working and getting things done.

In other business

A special meeting was scheduled for June 4 at 6 p.m. to discuss lighting bill issues.

The council decided to table awarding bids for a survey of town property that houses the highway department salt shed and transfer station on New Road. The town received two bids for the job, for $6,400 and $8,500. However, they ultimately decided not to spend the funds until they had a better idea of what logging opportunities were available.

Monthly bills include $8,514 for general, $678 for lighting, $782 for water, and $7,816 for highway.

The code enforcement officer conducted 13 inspections, issued four permits, and addressed two zoning issues in April.

Chris McNeal was awarded the mowing bid for town cemeteries at $950 per mow for three mows.