New fire station and Bridge Park improvements
At its monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 7, the Hurricane City Council voted to authorize the Building Commission to issue Lease Revenue Bonds in an amount up to $17 million. The bonds will produce the revenue needed to finance the construction and equipping of the new Hurricane Fire Station and to finance improvements to Hurricane Bridge Park. Bond Series 2021A will produce up to $5 million for the construction and equipping of the new fire station. Bond Series 2021B will provide up to $12 million to finance improvements at Hurricane Bridge Park.
Mandatory pre-bid meetings will be September 20 for the Bridge Park project and September 23 for the Fire Station. Bid opening is October 7 for the Fire Station and October 8 for Bridge Park. The Bridge Park project consists of construction of an access bridge; access road; sidewalks; baseball complex and concession stand; various shelters and site furnishings; general area lighting: playground; and stormwater and utility improvements to be constructed on the 60-acre parcel owned by the City of Hurricane.
In other business, Council held the second reading of an ordinance which allows customers at Drip Cafe and Belnap Dough Company to consume beer purchased at the two restaurants on the sidewalk on Main Street between the eateries and in the Deck-on-Main area.
Mayor Scott Edwards informed Council that concern for Covid has caused the popular Chili Cook-Off competition to be scrubbed from this year’s Hurricane Harvest Festival. Edwards said that the Cook-Off will be replaced by a pumpkin pie eating contest. The entire Harvest Festival was cancelled in 2020.
Bill Bartley addressed Council concerning AmTrak and possible changes which could impact local residents. Bartley said that Charleston is unlikely to remain a boarding point unless the City of Charleston provides better parking options.
Marketing & Development Manager Amanda Ramey informed council that the evening edition of Food Truck Friday for September has been cancelled. Ramey announced that the City’s Christmas Blessings program will begin taking applications. The program regularly makes Christmas brighter for close to 400 youngsters.
Police Chief Mike Mullins reported that during the month, the HPD made 11 arrests which were charged to the state and 16 which were charged to the city. The city’s arrests included 13 for first offense shoplifting and one for leaving the scene of an accident, one for theft of services and one open container. The state arrests included three DUI related, one sexual assault, and one for felony fleeing.
Mullins also reported that the HPD department issued 69 citations and 68 warnings while responding to complaints involving fraud, larceny, destruction of property, hit and run, stolen property, harassment, vandalism and lost property.
The department also responded to 43 EMR calls, 49 911 hang up calls, 15 alarm calls, 10 disturbance calls, 10 suspicious vehicle calls, 2 trespassing complaints, 5 domestic violence calls and 22 suspicious persons complaints. The department made 7 well-being checks while taking 18 accident reports during the month.
The next regular council meeting will be Monday, October 4, at 6:30 p.m.
