Town moves tax due date

By CAITLIN SULLIVAN/Staff
The Damascus Town Council voted Monday night to move the Dec. 20 tax due date to Jan. 18, 2010. Council member Lannis Green said the board had received 17 percent of real estate taxes and 15 percent of personal property taxes so far.
The council also agreed to post signs declaring the town playground a tobacco-free and pet-free area.
The council unanimously voted to accept a $25,000 settlement from Ralph Smith.
The council voted to amend an ordinance on firearms to include no discharging of firearms on the Creeper Trail.
Police Chief Bill Nunley said his department received $15,169 in grant funds this month and about $7,000 from the county in surplus.
“There’s been a large increase in burglaries in the county,” Nunely said. “But not inside the town.”
The council agreed that Bunny Medeiros use grant funds to buy a cluster of recycling barrels for the town that costs about $900. The town agreed to pay the shipping and handling fee. Later in the meeting, during comment time, Terry Kammer suggested that it would be cheaper to buy garbage cans, paint them, cut a hole in the top and use those as recycling bins.
The Budget and Finance Committee agreed to discuss and report back to the council a recommendation on what to do about temporary signage in town.
The council went into closed session to discuss the Bishop VRS Claim and taxes and use changes for properties only partially within the corporate limits.