Fireworks costs flare up

The cost of fireworks for this year's Fourth of July celebration has gone up, according to city manager Ed Craig.

The amount for the pyrotechnic display is now $9,500 -- $2,000 higher than last year. The county shares the expense with the city of the annual display and Shelbyville's cost will now be $4,750.

The council also heard about the need for a new sign plotter for the public works department. Mark Clanton, director of that department, said that a replacement for the 14-year-old plotter was needed soon, which would cost under $9,000.

Without the machine, the city would have to buy its own signs, and with the city producing some 30 per month, Clanton said that the savings from making the signs in-house would result in the machine paying for itself within a year and a half.

Clanton also explained that replacement parts for the machine were no longer available and that it would be needed to meet new federal requirements in regard to street signs.

Both the city and county must adhere to a new U.S. Department of Transportation directive to install replacement signs made with a fluorescent, reflective material that is more visible in the evenings.

Clanton said the city started installing the signs with the new material over last summer and that the signs are required on all main state roads, but won't be put in residential areas.

Depending on the sign type, the ones that do not meet new standards must be replaced by 2015 or 2018. He said last year that the deadline for making new signs with the approved material had been 2010 but had been changed to 2012.

A brief discussion was held about the installing a fence at the old city cemetery behind First Baptist Church on Depot Street. Funds were raised by the Chamber of Commerce Beautification Committee. The fence will be similar to what has been installed around Oakwood Cemetery in Tullahoma.

The city's bid committee will begin meeting twice a month, starting this month, to consider matters before that body and then will recommend the bids to the full council.

One item to be bid on was debated for several minutes: the need to buy a skid loader for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Clanton told council members that the Public Works Department and the parks department have been sharing a piece of equipment, but it has become more difficult for both departments to get things done under this system.

The skid loader is needed to replace a tractor for the parks department used for field maintenance; renting one would cost $300 a day.

Craig explained that the $30,000 for the item would come out of the city's replacement fund and not out of the budget.

Craig also said that the city is currently on budget, even though Shelbyville had to absorb the added expense of two buildings being demolished on East Depot Street.

The council will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. at the courtroom in the City Hall Annex (Shelbyville police station).