The Jay council approved the transfer of $28,000 left in the Sinking Fund to the General Fund to cover bills Monday night.
The town's bills include a $7,000 gas payment, payroll, $10,000 annual fee for Black Mountain annual fee, and insurance is $13,000. Operations Manager Eric Seib said the transfer will assure the bills are paid until revenue is collecting in the month of November.
The Sinking Funds were left over after paying off the water treatment plant.
From the October 15 water and gas meter reads, there was an estimated $78,509 revenue, almost a 50 to 60 percent increase in revenue.
In a motion made by Mayor Shon Owens and seconded by Councilman Wayne Godwin, the motion carried.
Park
The town has held workshops to discuss the proposed layouts for Hendricks-Bray Park and the council approved the layout submitted by Dewberry Engineering.
Dewberry representative Crystal Weatherington gave council members a paper rendering of the layout plan, which included an amphitheater among other amenities. The property where the amphitheater would be is not currently on what is designated on the park property, but encroaches into the industrial park. That piece of land is set up as a separate parcel, which can be amended as needed, she said.
The layout included many of the council and residents' 'wish list' items, including a playground, splashpad, tennis and basketball courts, football and soccer fields, baseball, little league and T-ball fields, along with designated parking.
“There is a six-inch water main that runs through the middle of the park, which is good news for the concession stands, bathrooms and splashpad,” Weatherington said.
She told the council the next step is to render the layout in 3-D instead of 2-D to make a more presentable viewing to use it to apply for a grant funding to show their representatives.
In a motion made by Owens and seconded by Councilman Josh Holloway, to move forward with the project, the motion carried.
In other business, the council discussed the following:
-Fire hydrants throughout the town have been inspected and only one had serious issues that will need to be repaired, according to Seib. The assessments came after Florida Rural Water performed an Asset Management Plan report and presented it to the council in a past meeting.
“The good new is we don't have any immediate concerns about fire hydrant repair,” said Seib. “We do not get them repaired but it's not an immediate urgency.”
- The council plans to review ordinances that effect the rate for business licenses will be up for a review, as the rates in Jay have been the same for a long time.
- The town has budgeted $25,000 for the park this year and discussed bidding out the landscaping.
- Late fees for water and sewer service were generated automatically for the first time in October's bill.
- The town is looking at online bill pay for customers and the cost per customer to initiate it. They are hoping to decide by the end of the year. The initial cost to the town to set it up would be about $1,000 plus $55 per month and a fee to each customer each time they use it.
“If someone uses it consistently, what's that $2 going to do to their water bill if you credit them to use it?,” said Councilwoman Nina Hendricks.
The council tabled the issue until more research could be done.
The next council meeting will be at 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 19, at Jay Town Hall.
