Long Agenda At Next Council Meeting.

The City Council will face an unusually long agenda during its regular meeting Tuesday evening in City Hall. The busy agenda is partially a result of the end of the fiscal year. The adoption of next year’s budget and various contracts for services constitute the major portion of the old business.

The new business portion of the meeting contains the possible reconsideration of the contract with Bill’s Electric rejected by the Council by a 5-3 vote at their last meeting. A contract requires a council bill and a council bill must pass by a majority of the 10 elected members, or 6 votes. Four Council members were in favor of awarding the contract to C&M Electric of Carthage even though their bid was higher. A motion by Bill Putnam to amend the bill in C&M’s favor failed 4-4 with Mayor Johnson breaking the ties and voting to keep the original contractor. Member Jim Woestman then voted for the original wording but it failed anyway.

Council members Jim McPheeters and Bill Fortune were absent at that meeting. McPheeters is not expected to attend tomorrow’s meeting, so four votes could still kill the bill.

The question of givin’ local business an edge in bidding for City work is an old one of course. Most folks who live in a particular community prob’ly think it only makes sense to give an advantage to those who help support their community with taxes and other contributions.

The problem comes when ya try to decide exactly how much of an disadvantage ya want to place on others outside the community. The fear of some is that those outside will stop biddin’ all together, then it’s the City that is up against the wall, bein’ at the mercy of those who do bid. The other thing is definin’ a local business. Is a business owned by a corporation in New Jersey with a location in Carthage a local business? Lots a questions to be considered, no definite answers yet.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Workman's Loan

The Super Handyman.

by Al Carrell & Kelly Carrell

Many spring projects involve hammering stakes into the ground - which helps you learn who your friends are, because whether you are mapping out a new deck or securing a newly planted tree, you probably are going to need someone to hold the stake while you pound it in.

If you cannot find a willing assistant, you can use a broom. Place a rubber band around the broom’s bristles down toward the bottom. Then lay the broom flat on the ground. Stab the stake through the bristles. The stake then should stay in place while you go at it with your hammer. If you miss, you will hit only the broom, not jeopardize a friendship or marriage.

Dear Al & Kelly: I have a roll of Day-Glo tape that I have used for lots of things around the shop.

One thing I always do for safety’s sake is to run a band of it around all the containers in my shop and home that contain dangerous chemicals. At a glance, I can see them and so can the kids if there is any doubt. - P.L.

A SUPER HINT - We’ve seen some pretty fancy - and expensive- handles that fit over the tang of a file to make it easier to use. You can make one from a scrap of garden hose. A piece 3 or 4 inches long would fit right over the tang.