By Lee Weyhrich
Staff writer
CLAY — Clay City Councilman Bo Johnson discussed extending police jurisdiction outside the city limits on Monday during the city’s council meeting. If approved, the police district would extend three miles beyond the border of the city anywhere another municipality does not already have coverage.
Residents within the jurisdiction, but outside the city limits, would see a property tax increase which would go towards paying for additional officers and extending other city services to those residents. According to City Manager Ronnie Dixon the city would not be responsible for road upkeep in those areas, but would have to take over abatement issues.
The extension would affect several businesses on Clay-Chalkville Road, Grayson Valley Country Club and a few residents. The expansion could also affect business licenses. Johnson hopes to discuss the issue at a future, unspecified, meeting.
Additionally in the meeting, the council heard from Library Board Chairperson Jane Anderton. While it has only been a few months since the Clay Library reorganized under more direct council control, according to Anderton there has been a lot of improvement.
According to Anderton the library numbers have been up compared to the previous year. The library has also instituted several new programs including a storytime for younger children.
Holly Flores, the acting library director, has agreed to take the position full-time.
In other city business:
- Weed abatements seem to be nearly a full-time job for city officials with more popping up at nearly every council meeting. The council also approved five weed abatements totaling $1193.75. The council also approved a lien for abatement amounting to $13,000 for demolition at 6805 Elliot Road.
- Councilwoman Becky Johnson announced that this year’s tree lighting would take place November 19 at 5:30 p.m. at Cosby Lake.
- The Christmas parade will take place December 12 at 3:30 p.m. Johnson asked that floats not line up until 3 p.m.. Additional information may be found for these events on the City of Clay web page or the City Facebook page.
- The council voted to replace and upgrade their file server and e-mail server, and to upgrade the computers to Windows 8.1 Professional. A new secure firewall will also be added. According to Dixon the server had not been upgraded since 2007. The total cost of all upgrades will be $11,085.
- The council extended the moratorium on check cashing, or payday loan stores, for another 12 months.