The Goodrich City Council met to improve street conditions, take safety precautions at the wastewater ponds, and search for help at a holiday festival in Thursday’s regular meeting for October.
Council approved Polk County Precinct 1 Road and Bridge to work on Minor Street, which runs in front of city hall.
“What they want to do, they worked up a bid for us, and they’re going to take the old foundation and base up and reline it,” Mayor Pro-Tem Bobby Wright said. “They sent $10,000 to do that. They’re trying to help us on our street.
“We kind of do it in stages. Then, the next street, we might move over to Edmonds Street. Then, once we get that, we’ll do the shorter streets and then go to the longer streets. We have up here, like going into the school, I think that will be a short street also. I’m thinking they’re going to try to use a new material. They have a new material they’re working on, they want to try.”
Wright said the roads have long needed attention. He expects the work to begin in about one week.
“I’ve been trying to get it, and they’ve been working with us filling in the potholes,” he said. “If this will kind of eliminate our potholes, I feel like we ought to go with this. We can do it in stages. If this work looks like it’s going to benefit us, then we’ll go to another area and take care of it.
“I’m thinking they’re going to take that all the way up to the school, because that road is bad also. I’ve been trying to do my best to try to keep the potholes, but when it rains and gets kind of weak, it’s going to wash it right back out. I told them I don’t want to keep spending money on potholes, so they kind of submitted this.”
A meter at the wastewater ponds was taken, and the city had an electrician check the wiring. There is currently no power.
A camera will be installed on the entrance gate that can be seen from a cell phone to monitor who comes in and out at the wastewater ponds to avoid any similar happenings.
The final topic was holiday festivals, starting with the Goodrich Christmas Market and lighted parade.
“I’ve been saying we need to try to set a budget. Set what we’ll pay somebody to come put up the flags, put up the Christmas lights, put up the Christmas tree, and anchor it all down,” Wright said. “And then, come and take the tree down, come and take the flags down, stack them neatly, so they won’t be damaged and get ready for next year.”
There are somewhere between eight and 10 flags that the city puts out, along with the Christmas decorations. Council agreed to set a budget of $300 once they find someone to perform the work. The employee who agrees to the job is to be paid $150 for putting all out for display, then the same amount for taking all down and storing for next year.
Halloween is set for 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. Those involved will set up tables with decorations to pass out candy for the vehicles driving through city hall.
