The Trenton City Council has agreed to enter into a three-year lease with the Trenton R-9 School District, allowing the district to continue use of a building the city owns at the airport.
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The Trenton City Council has agreed to enter into a three-year lease with the Trenton R-9 School District, allowing the district to continue use of a building the city owns at the airport.
During a meeting on Monday night, the council approved the contract, which sets rent of the building at $500 per month for the first two years and at $750 per month for the third year. However, the city would defer payment of the rent for the first two years as long as the district continues to maintain occupancy of the building, which is now used as the central office. If the district decides it no longer wants use of the building during that time, it would be required to pay the city $12,000, which represents the amount of rent the district would pay for the first two years.
City Administrator Kerry Sampson said this was the city’s way of assisting the school district in getting through its current financial situation, indicating the city had no immediate use for the building. Superintendent Craig Noah and Board President Dr. John Holcomb, who were at the meeting, said they appreciated the cooperation by the city. The R-9 Board of Education will consider the contract at a special meeting it has set for 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
The city council also approved a resolution, supporting the Trenton R-9 School District Proposition C Rollback Waiver election, which will take place on Feb. 3. Councilman Steve Perry said that while he supports the Proposition C effort, he said he agrees with some public comments that have been made as to the school district not being more forthcoming with specifics on what budget cuts will be made by the school district. He also expressed a concern about the board’s recent decision to extend Noah’s contract by one year and saying that the salary would be determined at a later date. Holcomb said that establishing the superintendent’s salary is done during the budgetary process, which has been the practice for many years. That doesn’t take place until later this year when the board formulates the 2004-2005 budget that goes into place on July 1.
The council approved an ordinance, allowing the city to enter into an agreement with Nathan Whitney to farm 120 acres of the city’s new industrial park area. Whitney will pay the city $12,360, with $4,120 due on or before March 1 and $8,240 due on or before Nov. 1. The contract runs from March 1 of this year to Feb. 28, 2005.
Sampson announced that the city is now taking applications from homeowners to participate in the World Changers project this July. The city is applying for a grant through the USDA to help with the costs for around 20 homes and Sampson noted that participants who receive that funding must be at least 62 years of age and meet certain income guidelines. World Changers will be in Trenton July 10-17 and Sampson said an application is being made to participate in the program in 2005. Jim Linville, the city’s building inspector, and Jim Whitley, an employee of Trenton Municipal Utilities, recently received training in Florida for the project, with the training provided by World Changers. Whitley will be serving as a crew leader this year and Linville will be working with the local project.
In other business, the council:
? was told by councilman Dr. Nick McHargue that the recent graduating class of the Green Hills Master Gardeners is looking for projects to do around town and asked the city or any not-for-profit group that might be interested to contact Dr. McHargue.
? was told that a meeting of fourth ward residents would be held Feb. 11 at the Trenton Municipal Airport to discuss the street programs in the ward for the past year as well as for the upcoming year.
? was told that work continues on developing the street program list for this year.
? was told efforts were being made to improve visibility for motorists at the corner of Seventh and Grant streets.
? was told the Economic Development Committee was continuing work on its strategic planning efforts, meeting with various groups about economic development issues.
? was told about fire department training being done with other departments and that testing of equipment for ISO purposes will be done locally. It was also reported the new fire truck is scheduled to be shipped to Trenton on Jan. 30.
? received information concerning the park department sales tax, which shows that $50,605.28 has been received since November, when the tax could first start being collected. This includes $2,216.46 in November, $22,837.57 in December and $25,837.25 in January.
? heard a concern from a citizen regarding the police department and an incident in March 2003 involving the questioning of a young girl about a gun owned by the individual who appeared before the council.