400 tons of road salt head to London

By Jane Beathard

Staff Writer

Fall is a month old and London City Council is already planning for winter snow and ice.

A resolution introduced at Thursday’s council meeting will move $31,000 in unused money from the personnel account to general city operations in order to pay for 400 tons of road salt to keep streets open during the coming winter.

Safety-services director Steve Hume said the 400 tons represent about half of the city’s contract for 2011-12.

Council member Stan Kavy introduced an ordinance to pay a $1,950 bill for survey of recently annexed real estate between the current city limits and the sewage disposal plant on state Route 56 south of town.

Also on Thursday, Hume told council members that radio station WCYC-LP (105.1 FM), housed in the former London Armory at 15 E. Second St., is delinquent on an agreement to pay $200 in monthly rent. An after-school program conducted by Madison-area Youth Center, Inc. (MaYCI) was discontinued.

The city will bill the local radio station for $400 in rent due since Sept. 2, Hume added.

Following Thursday’s regular meeting, council members held an executive session to discuss sale of the East Second Street building. No action was taken.

Hume reported that rentals of the city’s new community center at 60 S. Walnut St. — formerly London Middle School — are increasing. As a result, the city will hire a part-time employee to oversee routine maintenance of the building’s aging heating system.

Council president Bill Beathard asked if current street department employees could handle the chore. Council member Dick Minner supported Hume’s decision, saying a two-hour per day employee was a better option.