City Council Briefs

City gets bids on sub-courthouse

The costs to install mini-split heating and cooling units in the Olney sub-courthouse were twice as high as expected, coming in at $7,921.75, Public Works Director Michael Jacoba told the City Council.

The budget for replacing broken units at the courthouse was $4,000, he said. The outdated electrical system was lowering the life spans of the current window units, he said. The Council advised Mr. Jacoba to buy new window units rather than the more expensive minisplits. The Council also received a bid of $26,600 to repair the sub-courthouse’s crumbling facade.

The bid includes pressure washing the building to assess the damage, sealing the concrete ledge and repairing the facade, as well as repairing the sidewalk.

The repair “is not a lifetime fix,” Mayor Rue Rogers said. “It will last 5-6 years.” The Council discussed using federal COVID funds to repair the building, and splitting costs with the Olney Economic Development Corp.

Storms make work for public works

Public Works picked up 74 loads of limbs as a result of heavy rainfall last month, Mr. Jacoba said. He said Lake Cooper levels reached 92 percent or 1,141 feet.

Public Works will start filling potholes caused by the rain using a new roller, he said. Archer City offered to let Olney use its equipment to repair roads, City Administrator Simon Dwyer said.

Hawkins to take on code enforcement

Olney Animal Control Officer Hollie Hawkins will take on code enforcement duties this month after she received clearance from the state, Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck said.

Officer Hawkins takes on the code enforcement duties in addition to her animal control job, which saw her responding to 40 calls for service, taking 28 animals to the Young County shelter in May, he said.

Chief Birbeck told the City Council that police responded to “an enormously large number” of calls about animals at large last month.

Chief Birbeck also told the Council that work was set to begin on the new Olney Police station, which will be located in the former Ranger College building beside the Olney Civic Center on South Grand Avenue.

City bills tire shop

The City billed the owner of the gas station at 301 E. Main St. for the removal of about 10 trailers’ worth of discarded tires.

The bill for removing the tires and shredding them at the Olney Convenience Station came to $37,652.20, City Administrator Simon Dwyer told the Council.

“We will seek a lien on the property to recover the lost funds,” he said. Mr. Dwyer noted that a “for sale” sign has been placed on the property.

If the current owner does not pay the City for the tire removal, the new owner will have to pay the outstanding sum, he said.

“She has been invoiced twice ... she has been sent a notification of violations,” he said.

The shop’s former owners, Mark and Rosana Corwin, pleaded guilty to illegal dumping and were fined, court records show.