Natasha Worley
Reporter
DIERKS – The Dierks City
Council addressed minor issues
in a nine minute meeting
on Monday night.
The meeting began much
like it usually does, with a
suspension of the last meeting’s
minutes, and a motion
to pay the bills. Mayor Terry
Mounts then asked members
of the council to bring forward
new business, but none
was heard.
Mayor Mounts then stated
that a letter was received
from Municipal Health. This
letter declared that insurance
rates for city employees
and their families will not be
raised.
The mayor then moved
onto updating the council
on the city’s ongoing water
and sewer plans. Stephens
Inc. currently has the city’s
2013 and 2014 audit, and are
preparing a bond from these.
The mayor is hopeful that
the bond will be ready by
the first of the new year. This
will be a restructured bond
that will save the city money
over time.
A special budget meeting
was set for November 30
at 6 p.m. The city’s budget
proposal must be submitted
by December 31 of this year.
The Dierks School Board
also held a very short meeting
on the same night.
Superintendent Holly Cothren
informed the council
of certain projects that could
be taking place in the future.
First is a roof replacement at
Jo Ann Walters Elementary
School. Part of the school
has a vinyl roof, but the other
part of the school has older
composite roofing. As that
composite roofing starts
leaking, it will need to be
replaced.
The other project is a fine
arts center, which has been
an item of exploration for
the council for a couple of
years. The school has the
option of applying for state
partnership funding that
could pay for up 55 percent
of the project.
Mrs. Cothren explained
that if the schools were to apply
for and receive the funding,
they don’t necessarily
have to complete said project,
but they will not receive
any funding for the project if
an application is not completed
by early December. There
was a unanimous decision to
accept these items as part of
the school’s 2016 Master Plan
and Resolution.
Next on the agenda was a
last minute change in the cost
of the school’s door replacement
that was discussed in
the school board’s meeting
in September.
Dixon Glass & Door Company,
which will be installing
new doors in both the elementary
and the high school,
requires an additional $864
investment in their bid for
a performance bond, which
is needed for the audit. The
board voted to accept this
additional charge.
The Dierks City Council
and the Dierks School Board
meet on the second Monday
of each month at 6 p.m.
