Here is the video for Monday’s (09/16/19) City Council Meeting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESpdeUKlKw0
If you had trouble with the sound while trying to watch it before, the sound has been fixed.
The videos are now broadcast live at this URL so if you tune in at 8pm, you can watch the Council meeting live: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBBgBDh11jKNhKtA1NIOZZA
Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the City of Bedford YouTube channel (big red subscribe button below the video). If you subscribe, you will get a notification when the live video starts as well as getting a link to watch it later.
In the Work Session, we discussed:
- An amendment to the vacancy registration law. We actually have a vacancy registration law that is not currently being enforced due to a lack of personnel to enforce it and the ordinance needing some refinement to make it more enforceable. The hope is that we will be able to change the ordinance to correct these issues. We were approached by a company who handles maintaining vacancy lists for cities and we are looking at that possibility as well.
- Continuing the discussion from last spring on the Signs ordinances. It was a short discussion as Council wanted to review another city’s ordinance that had been vetted legally after some recent lawsuits regarding municipal sign laws. We received a copy of that right before the meeting so we will have this on next meeting’s agenda.
- The Gardiner discussion (and vote) was postponed until next meeting as there were some schedule conflicts..
- What to do about water and sewer rates. We do look at this annually. This year though, we will need to look hard at a few aspects of the water system and expected EPA requirements that will need to be funded in the future.
In the Regular session, we voted on:
- Purchasing a new Control Module program for the Waste Water Treatment Plant. This program helps control overflows during power-outages. The current program is no longer fully compatible with current computer systems and needs to be upgraded to keep it from failing during power outages. (passed)
- Purchasing a Hydraulic Breaker, which is used to break through concrete during water line repairs. (passed)
- Making the annual update to the “Rate Reduction for Disabled Persons and Senior Citizens” ordinance. This is simply an annual update to change the parameters for qualifying to keep in line with poverty line guidelines. Water discount income eligibility for 2020 is based off filed tax returns for 2018 (aka the ones that were due on April 15th, 2019) (passed)
- Agree to have Gardiner make energy improvements within the City (1st reading)
- A Resolution to execute a memorandum for Understanding Tinker’s Creek Watershed Partners. Basically, that we agree to be part of the Tinker’s Creek Watershed. This is a free program to participate in. (passed)
In the reports:
- Lt Harding from the Fire Department went down to NC to help with hurricane damage
- City is applying for a grant to help redo the waterlines on Broadway. If we get it, we would also be able to redo the water, electric and resurface the road.
- Automile camera project is up and running. This program allows the police to actively check on Automile properties. The cameras are pointed at the road unless dealerships gave permission to BPD to point cameras at their property. This program was funded in part by a grant and in part by donations from the Automile. It is considered a test program to see if such a system would be beneficial for the whole city.
- You may have noticed that truck parking at Meadowbrook has improved. The location had been listed on a popular trucker app called Trucker Path as a free place to park (literally someone listed it as a truck stop) and the City worked to remove that listing. The parking situation has improved dramatically since then.
- Senior Transportation Connection is up and running. Contact the Recreation Dept about how to get signed up for the new service. If you had problems booking the senior bus in the past, I encourage you to try now. The new service will be able to accommodate significantly more people than we were able to in the past.
- If you move in or out of the City, please let the City know so that we can add you or remove you from the tax rolls. If you are delinquent, please contact the tax department as they very much want to work with you to get a re-payment plan.
- Last week for the chipper will be the 1st week of October. Call service at (440) 735-6583 to schedule a pickup