By Lee Weyhrich
The Clay City Council last week approved a contract with the Jefferson County Public Works Department for road services.
As part of the agreement, the county will be responsible for all road repairs and the city will be responsible for material costs.
The council was originally going to take bids from private contractors to handle the road repairs. The city will save 35 percent to 40 percent by partnering with the county, Councilman Kevin Small said. Councilwoman Becky Johnson was the only dissenting vote, saying the council wouldn’t really know the savings or benefits of using the county’s services without having private bids to compare.
The council also voted to allow Jefferson County to conduct building inspections in the Winchester Hills neighborhood, where Habitat for Humanity has purchased 50 lots
. City Manager Ronnie Dixon said zoning and building rules will still have to meet the city’s requirements. Habitat for Humanity will be building 10 homes in the neighborhood in seven days in May.
The council also adopted an ordinance that defines what is a handicapped parking zone.