The Marysville City Council met Monday. Final costs for the Hartley Ridge Subdivision, sewer and water improvements were reviewed. An assessment of the $45,000 project will amount to $298 per month, for ten years for each of the 15 lots in the subdivision, beginning January 31st, 2017. A request for a building permit for a second house was referred to the Zoning Board of Appeals, since the developer would like to wait for the ground to settle before completing the concrete streets, as agreed in the plat.
Considerable discussion regarding cleanup of a nuisance property at 1205 Carolina was brought forward again. Limited progress has been made since another extension of time through September. Council initially was preparing to clean up the property, and bill back expenses to the property owner, when the owner arrived, asking another extension. A 30-day extension was approved.
The Federal Aviation Administration has indicated that $510,000 would be available for airport improvements, requiring a 10% city match. A project to reconstruct the aprons is first priority. Additional priorities for future consideration, include widening the runway from 65’ to 75’ were suggested by the airport committee. Council approved unanimously moving forward with the apron reconstruction this spring.
The City Administrator provided information that the city had spent 85% of budget this past year. Due to a decrease in franchise fees, the mayor pointed out that the year-end balance was the lowest that it has been in the past five years. It was noted that the city has spent more than revenue four of the past five years. The discussion will be continued at a budget workshop, Wednesday, January 11th, at 5 p.m. at the Wagon Wheel. The mayor suggested that the city may want to cap spending growth, so as to not dip below a 63-day balance of reserves currently in funding. On a related matter, it was reported that December sales tax revenue was off 20% year over year, at $74,000 this past month. Sales tax revenue is used to fund larger capital improvement projects.