Today's Feature

Possible Collection Contract.

The City Council Budget Ways and Means Committee met Monday evening in a regular session. The committee discussed the possibility of entering into contract with Jasper County Collector Stephen Holt for the service of collecting City property taxes. This possibility has been discussed before but no contract was ever signed between the City and Holt.

City Clerk Lynn Campbell said that it would be a one year contract which could be amended on a yearly basis if needed. Committee members were favorable to pursuing the contract, as it would save time for the workers in City Hall.

There are several properties for which the City has been unable to collect taxes, as well as many people who have requested the option to pay with credit card, which the City does not offer currently. Campbell said that the contract may resolve those issues, adding that Holt’s collection rate is 99.9%. In the contract a 4% fee would be taken by Holt for providing the service. The committee agreed to proceed with the option.

The committee also discussed a budget amendment which would appropriate more funding for the collection of storm debris. The City contract with J & R Disaster Services was originally bid for an amount of $3.79 per cubic yard collected with an estimated total debris amount of 25,000 cubic yards. City Administrator Tom Short told the committee that based on collections thus far there may be as many as 50,000 cubic yards of debris. A budget amendment will be required to cover the increase as the reimbursement from FEMA and SEMA will not be received by the City until later.

The committee discussed the appropriation and agreed that it would be best to not amend the budget until the total amount was known.

The committee also reviewed a mid-year budget status report which showed expenditures and revenues for all departments and the general fund. Currently the approximate expenditures from the general fund are at 45% and the revenues collected are at roughly 43%. The committee reviewed the lists and discussed each item. Short noted that overtime would likely be an issue for several departments, as the Street Department and Public Works Department had been heavily occupied with ice storm cleanup efforts.

Reprinted from Oct. 16, 1997:

Mornin',
I see where Toyota is givin’ up on its slogan "I love what you do for me," and the customer jumpin’ in the air. They ran that theme for fourteen years. Now they’re doin’ "everyday people" commercials that I’m not sure what the real theme is.

I could understand someone who jumped in the air with excitement. I don’t have any idea what the new commercials mean.

I suppose time will tell if they sell as many cars with the new fangled approach, but I’d have ta bet they change this one before the end of the year.

Maybe there isn’t room for a just plain fun commercial anymore. If that’s the case, I’ll miss ‘em. No more "where’s the beef," or "know what I mean Vern" will diminish the tv experience.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Here's A Tip
By JoAnn Derson

• Have allergy troubles? One thing you can do is to wash your sheets in hot water. If you have restricted the temperature on your water heater for safety and economy (good for you!), turn it back up once a week to wash your bed linens. Dust mites, dander and pollen on clothing are more likely to be removed in water over 140 degrees F. There are plenty of small and big changes you can make in your home. Check out www.webmd.com/allergies for more tips.

• Dog walking is the new fitness tip. If you and Fido have put on a few pounds during the holidays, you’ll both benefit from daily walks. Taking your pet for three 10-minute walks a day will allow your dog to exercise its tensions away, while you get in 30 minutes of aerobic activity.

• "If you have trouble removing wax from a candleholder, try putting it in the freezer for a few hours. When you take it out, the wax will usually come right out. Then, the next time you use the candleholder, you can coat the inside of the holder cup with a little oil, or you can put a little bit of water in the cup (this works best with votive-style holders). Happy candling!" -- T.D. in Washington

• "To keep tomato-based sauces from staining plastic storage containers, spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray. It works for me." -- O.L. in Louisiana

• Here’s something to try for removing anti-perspirant stains: meat tenderizer. P.S. in Kentucky says to wet the stained area, sprinkle liberally with meat tenderizer, rub in, let set for several minutes and then launder as usual. Keep those anti-perspirant tips coming!