City sets May 6 election, hears departmental reports

The Olney City Council authorized City Secretary Tammy Hourigan to enter into a contract with the Young County elections administrator to conduct municipal general elections on May 6. Councilmembers Chuck Stennett, Harrison Wellman and Brad Simmons will be on the ballot. The election will not be held if there are no challengers, Mayor Pro Tem Tom Parker said.

The city’s $13.5 million revenue bonds to fund a new water treatment plant earned $50,247.79 in December, bringing the total interest earned since April to $231,456,46, City Secretary Tammy Hourigan told the Council on Jan. 9. The funds from the bond sale are earning 4.52 percent interest, Ms. Hourigan said.

The Public Works Department cleared most of the alleys on the north side of town in preparation for the imminent switch to poly carts from dumpsters, City Administrator Arpegea Pagsuberon told the Council. Residents will all place their poly carts on the same side of the alley for Waste Connections to pick them up, she said. The Olney Police Department opened 996 cases in 2022, almost double last year’s total, OPD Detective Dustin Hudson told the Council. In December, OPD took 99 calls, made 7 arrests, issued 231 warnings and 51 citations, he said.