By Melinda J. Overstreet / Glasgow News 1
Cave City City Council approved the sale Monday of a vacant lot at 206 S. Third St. for $9,905.
According to the advertisement for sealed bids, the lot is 77.5 feet by 235 feet, and $9,000 was set as the minimum amount that would be accepted.
“The bids were due last Monday, and we received one bid,” Mayor Dwayne Hatcher said, noting that the minimum was the appraised value.
The bid was from PDLL Properties Inc.
“I will let you know that I have talked to these folks extensively,” Hatcher said. “Their intent is to build a small dwelling, and I did ask them that we would actually like to see and get an idea of what – and I feel good about it – but, so you all and everybody can see what they plan to do. And they said that’s no problem to do that.”
Councilman Denny Doyle asked whether they were going to specify that construction should be started and finished by a certain time, and the mayor said that would be up to the council to put in those restrictions.
“I think we should, because otherwise we’re just going to have another empty lot,” Doyle said.
Hatcher responded: “They’ve expressed to me — and actually they’re very interested in some other properties in the city — that they plan to move pretty rapidly, but it wouldn’t hurt, if you all think so, to have a clause in there to that effect. It’s totally up to you all.”
Councilwoman Beverly Tobin Ford said she agreed with Doyle about putting in a clause.
City Attorney Bobby Richardson suggested they should amend the motion to something like requiring construction to start within one year and be completed within two years, so Doyle went with that.
The motion to amend and then subsequently the actual motion to accept the bid and for the mayor to execute the process were approved unanimously among the members present.
Councilwoman Leticia Cline was absent.
Second reading of an ordinance to change the city rules to reflect a changing state law to allow the transient room tax to be collected from brokers and facilitators of rentals procured through such websites as Airbnb, or campgrounds, for example. The tax rate is 3 percent of the rent, and another 1 percent is levied for the operating costs of the Cave City Convention Center.
The ordinance was approved unanimously.
Hatcher said he would like to ask for a new position to be created that would be a combination grant writer/economic development coordinator.
“We’ve talked about this a lot, for a good while,” he said. “I just feel like that we’re losing a lot because we basically don’t have the personnel or the time to really dig into these efforts, and there is grant money out there. We’re missing a lot just by not having someone to kindly be out and about and that type of thing and I just wanted to present that to you and open the floor for your all’s thoughts or ideas.”
Councilman Mike Houchens asked what the salary would be.
Hatcher said the thinking and discussion had been that the city and the local tourism commission could share the person and the employment costs, and he had presented the idea to the commission at its meeting the prior week and they voted to approve it and to commit at least $25,000 toward it.
Houchens asked how much he thought it would take to get someone, and Hatcher said it would depend on the quality, experience, etc. He later added it would be a full-time position, in response to a question from Doyle.
“This is very rough. A lot of it, even a job description, we have to sit down and definitely provide. This is just in the early, early stages, and my thinking was there’s really no need to proceed with all that until we either approve or disapprove to do it,” Hatcher said.
Houchens replied: “Don’t you think you ought to do that first?”
“Right,” Tobin said.
She said she agreed they needed more information such as they’d already mentioned and should also look at surrounding areas to see what salary would be needed for it to be competitive, for example.
Tobin said she agreed there’s a need, though.
Hatcher felt he needed some approval to even continue to work on it, and Tobin said he could continue to work on it without that, as he already has.
The group chose to not take action at that point.
Jennifer Freeman, city clerk, treasurer and alcoholic beverage administrator for Cave City turns after someone calls her name at the conclusion of Monday’s special-called city council meeting. She is retiring after 24 years with the city. Melinda J. Overstreet / Glasgow News 1
Later, Hatcher said he also had asked the part-time evidence technician, Stephanie Keltner, to begin helping out some as a deputy code enforcement officer and as a safety officer, which would make her a full-time employee with up to 40 hours.
Tobin asked about her salary, and the mayor said the hourly rate of $13 would remain the same.
Earlier, City Clerk and Treasurer Jennifer Freeman, who is retiring after 24 years, had provided a financial report:
November brought $57,571.83 in restaurant taxes collected and $28,419.90 in transient-room taxes collected, with $85,985.73 transferred to the tourism commission.
The cash analysis for November shows $29,212 in investments, $21,536 in fire department checking account, $1,253 in fire department savings and $6,961 in police department savings.
Just before adjournment, Councilman Steve Pedigo presented Mike Houchens with a plaque to recognize his 27 years – not consecutive – on the council.
“It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve enjoyed it,” Houchens said, suggesting to the two new members: “Don’t promise nobody nothing; just do the best you can.”
Following the meeting, the mayor and the council members who will have terms in 2023 were administered the oath of office by Richardson. He also swore in the police and fire chiefs. See photos more from those ceremonies at this link. Richardson announced that Monday evening completed 53 years in his role as city attorney there.
City offices will be closed on Dec. 23 and 26 for Christmas holiday observations and Dec. 30 and Jan. 2 to observe the new year.
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