Gush costs town

by Roger Mannon
Staff Writer

After a vandalism incident, the town’s new public restrooms will be open fewer hours, Town Council decided Thursday.
At the Council meeting last week, Town Manager Mike Maslaney said the vandalism occurred sometime on Sunday, August 31. “Someone went in with a wrench and dismantled the flush valve,” he said.
A one-inch water line gushed for an undetermined time. An estimated 33,000 gallons of water was lost, at a cost of $360.
The new restroom hours will not include Sundays. Open hours will include Monday through Thursday, 7:00 until 5:00, and Friday (unchanged), 7:00 until 11:00.
Saturday hours will be reduced from 7:00-11:00 to 7:00-3:00. Hours may be extended for special events in town.
Maslaney said a “punch list” of minor items remains to be completed on the restrooms, including painting, insulation and a trench drain. The town has paid $197,034 on the project’s $200,000 cost.
The punch list items come to $9,206, meaning the cost overrun will be $6,240, about three percent.
In other matters, Don Johnson, Chamber of Commerce president, said during the Public Comment period that the Chamber grew by about 25 percent over the last year. “We now have 195 members, 70 in the town.
“Thanks for your support. 2008 was a busy year, and 2009 will be even moreso.”
Johnson said the Chamber will renovate its website soon.
Dale Thompson wanted to know, also during the Public Comment period, if the town is satisfied with the cleanup efforts around the former garage site in town. “It looks wonderful,” Maslaney said.
Dawn Weeks thanked the town for its support of the inaugural 5K run. “We were expecting 50 to 75 people and had 127 register. It was very safe.”
She said the event raised $3,189.04 for Duke Medical Center research.
Maslaney said renovation work on the new town hall would cost $5,752. The work includes fascia, trim, painting, glazing, and caulking. The amount was budgeted last year and carried forward to the current budget.
Council made a proclamation for Constitution Week, marking 221 years. The observance will be September 17 through September 23.
Council discussed several public works, mentioned in a planning survey. Mayor Robert Shelor said having a trailer to haul cardboard on recycle days could reduce from three to one the number of trips needed.
Councilman Mike Patton said he would like to see well sites developed in town. He said he would also like to see a collaboration between the town, the school system and Virginia Department of Transportation similar to a Kentucky program. “The school could have a class to teach students how to build sidewalks, and then we could hire them in the summer. You could get a lot of sidewalks built that way.”