The Lawson Review

NEWS

Lawson's Board of Aldermen spent much of Monday night's meeting discussing unpaid water bills and recommendations made by Troutt, Beeman & Co., P.C., the city auditors.
Currently, the city is owed around $13,000 in past due water bills. Nearly $6,000 of that amount dates back to 2006 and 2007.
The council went through the list of delinquent accounts for those years, and while some of the customers are deceased, others have simply moved out of Lawson.
Dawn Probasco, city administrator, said the city has changed some policies since then so a customers' bill won't get as high as some of those in 2006-07.
The city no longer gives a grace period and the water is turned off the first Tuesday of each month on all delinquent

residential accounts.
The council ended their policy of giving businesses a grace period on delinquent accounts during the meeting and businesses will be treated like any other residential customer.
The city had three or four unpaid accounts from businesses that have closed shop.
The council voted to write off an estimated $6,200 in uncollectable water bills that date back to 2006 and 2007 in order to clean up the bookkeeping as recommended by the auditor.
The city will continue to work on collecting delinquent water bills from 2008 and 2009.
The auditor also made recommendations regarding the use of the cash register, credit card receipts and reconciliation of books.
Probasco and Merry Marler, city clerk, really didn't understand their recommendations as everything was in order. The missing credit card receipt the auditors questioned was accounted for.
Alderman Vester Cates didn't feel the city should have more than one credit card.
There is a credit card for each police car, and all expenditures are accounted for as a unique Personal Identification Number identifies the officer making the fuel purchase.
New Garage Door at Maintenance Building
The city sought bids for the purchase and installation of a new garage door at the Public Works Maintenance Building.
Delden Doors, Vincent Garage Door Openers, and Overhead Doors all submitted bids for the installation with Delden Doors submitting the lowest bid. However, Delden Doors asked the city to either fill out a credit application or make payment in full when the job is completed.
As there was only a couple of hundred dollars difference between Delden Doors and Vincent Garage Door Openers, the council asked that Doug Kessler, public works superintendent, contact Vincent Garage Door Openers to see if they would match the Delden Door bid.
Vincent Garage Door Openers is a local company.
If Vincent Garage Door Openers will match the bid, the council authorized the city administration to hire them.
The council pre-approved payment of the bill so it could be paid immediately after installation is completed.
April 6, 2010 Municipal Election
The council approved an ordinance calling for an Annual Municipal Election on April 6, 2010.
Lawson voters will be asked to elect a Mayor, and East Ward Alderman, and a West Ward Alderman in the election.
The terms of Mayor David Burgess, EastWard Alderman Bruce Caraway, and West Ward Alderman Martin Hummel expire next year.
Filings open on December 15, 2009 and will close on January 19, 2010.
Police Report
Lawson Police Chief Brian LaFavor reported that the department had been awarded $3,670.91 through the 2010 Local Law Enforcement Block Grant program to purchase equipment.
The cost to the city will be around  $400 as their match.
He said they planed to purchase warning lights, switching, an in-car cage, safety vests, road flares, a mag flashlight, new reflective raincoats, and traffic cones with the grant money.
During October, the police responded to 268 calls for service including four alarms, three vehicle accidents, four domestic disturbances, eight animal calls, one report of property damage, six other disturbances, four suspicious acts, and they noted one nuisance violation.
They made 14 arrests and issued 12 warnings.
On the traffic side, they issued 25 citations and 11 warnings. They made one felony and 13 misdemeanor arrests.
Clerk's Report
Merry Marler said tax statements were mailed out last week along with sewer and sidewalk assessments. This will be the last year for sidewalk assessments.
She attended a meeting in Clay County and learned that they had purchased a new tax program, which should eliminate some of the problems the city has experienced in the past with Clay County taxes.
City Hall will be closed November 26 & 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Park and Recreation Report.
Lisa Spurgeon informed the council that Santa Claus will be coming to town on December 5 as part of the Chamber of Commerce's Snowflake Festival.
Santa will be in the Lawson Community Room from 9 to 11 a.m.
The city will also light the Mayor's Christmas tree in the City Park at 7 p.m. that evening.
Lawson merchants are being challenged to decorate their store fronts form the holiday season. Holiday lights and decorations should be up by December 4 and the Park Board will judge them.
Winners will be announced at the Mayor's Christmas Tree Lighting during the Snowflake Festival.
The Park Board will sponsor Senior Citizens Bingo on Tuesday, November 24 at the Lawson Community Room. This month's event will also feature a free Soup & Chili Dinner beginning at 6 p.m.
Bingo will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The board will change their monthly meeting to the third Wednesday of each month to avoid conflicts with board members schedules. Meetings will begin at 7 p.m.
"We're trying to get as many people as we can at meetings," Spurgeon said in explaining the change.
She said she had also been contacted about reserving the stage in the City Park and felt their needed to be a new policy regarding who does the scheduling.
After some discussion, the council agreed that the City Hall will be responsible for scheduling the use of the World War  I Memorial, the stage in the City Park, the shelter in the City Park, and the community center.
Anyone wishing to use the park after 10 p.m. will need to obtain a permit from City Hall.
Administrator's Report
Dawn Probasco said that once again, she had been beaten to the punch in announcing the Local Law Enforcement Grant.
 She noted that so far, Chief Brian LaFavor, has secured nearly $14,000 in grant money for the city.