The City Council approved the Budget Committee recommended budget for the fiscal year 2000/20001 at the regular Council meeting Tuesday evening. Member H.J. Johnson was the lone dissenting vote, objecting to placing funds in the general fund that were received from an insurance claim on the burned Street Department maintenance building. Johnson wanted the $106,000 received to be applied toward a replacement building. The budget appropriates only $42,000 with plans to lease/purchase the remainder over a five year period.

In other business the Council failed to accept the recommendation of the Planning, Zoning, and Historic Preservation Commission to rezone property located at 918 W. Centennial from District B, (duplexes) to District O (non-retail, apartments). The property is owned by Bill Wilson. The vote was 5-4 in favor, but ordinances require a majority of all ten sitting Council members i.e. six votes. Member Bill Fortune was absent.

The Council also authorized a contract with Joyce Liggett of Pro-100 Realtors to serve as negotiator for purchase of new airport property. The vote was 6-3.

If ya haven’t already made plans for the fourth, ya might wanna take a good look at the activities goin’ on here in Carthage. If ya don’t wanna be locked in for the full day of activities, there will be a variety of things for all ages startin’ early in the mornin’ ‘till the fireworks display at after sunset.

Bein’s how the weather has been a little humid the last couple a weeks, the City is buyin’ insurance in case a rain so they won’t get soaked. You won’t have any guarantees, but I’m guessin’ the rain won’t be anywhere in sight, so get the family together for an old fashioned afternoon in Municipal park.

There is entertainment scheduled all afternoon and plenty of games and activities for the kids. Ya might even get the chance to shake the hand of a local politician.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

I have been told that adding seven or eight naphthalene mothballs to a tank of gasoline increases the octane. Is this true? If it is true, what will it do to the engine of the vehicle? -Donald

RAY: That’s an excellent question, Donald. This "mothball" story has been around as long as we have. So immediately upon receiving your letter we called in the illustrious Dr. Jim Davis, Ph.D., director of the chemistry labs here at Car Talk Plaza, to try to get a definite answer. And Jim said he’d get right on it.

TOM: Two months later, he called us and apologized for the delay, which he said was unavoidable due to a two-month-long faculty meeting that had just ended at Harvard, where he moonlights.

RAY: Anyway, after several months of study, and the complete depletion of an otherwise useful NIH grant, Jim has concluded that this mothball story is basically a bunch of horse pie.

TOM: There are several different types of mothballs on the market, none of which, to his knowledge, do anything to improve the performance of gasoline. They WILL burn, so you will get some power out of them. But since mothballs are more expensive than gasoline, this is not a very economical way to get to work, Donald.

RAY: Some mothballs even produce HCI, hydrochloric acid, as a by-product. And pumping HCI through your engine and exhaust system is probably not very good for its longevity.

TOM: The only thing Jim will guarantee is that, if you put mothballs in your gas tank, any sweaters you store in there will be moth free.