Albany City Council held a brief regular meeting last Thursday evening, November 1 at city hall with five of six members on hand.

The council first opened two bids on a 1995 Ford F150 truck that was declared surplus. The vehicle had been re-bid after the original low bidder refused to accept the vehicle and no other original bids met the $300 minimum that had originally been placed in the advertisement.

The second advertisement placed no bid limit and the council, on a motion by Tony Delk, voted unanimously to accept the high bid of $210 on the truck from Gary Dicken of Burkesville.

Albany Mayor Nicky Smith then informed the council that the state has given approval to the city to place a 500 gallon water tank around the Bald Rock area in Duvall Valley in eastern Clinton County.

Residents in that area have been experiencing low or no water pressure issues for quite sometime and it was determined adding the storage tank may take care of the low water pressure problems.

The mayor told the council the city would begin looking at ways to fund the estimated $50,000 project. He also said he would declare an emergency situation for the tank project so that the city would not have to go through the normal bidding process and wait time.

Councilman Leland Hicks then asked about a trash barrel overflow at the old fire department building, which the mayor said would be taken care of. It was also noted that the old vehicles at that building were being used for parts and training purposes.

The council also discussed the new, and brighter, street lights around the downtown area being installed by South Kentucky RECC. The new lights provide more “light”, thus more security and several have already been installed with more to be erected.

Council member Tonya Thrasher also reviewed the recent fourth annual Boo Fest that was held on the courthouse square on Halloween night. She noted at least 10 vendors had set up to pass out candy and treats to children who came by during the three-hour trick-or-treat period and said 664 children were counted as taking part in the event, the most successful ever.

The council is now considering expanding the event somewhat next year, possibly letting vendors set up on both sides of the courthouse in 2017.

The council also thanked all the vendors and volunteers who worked to make the event a success, and especially all the children, parents and adults who visited Boo Fest on Halloween night.

Finally, mayor Smith reminded everyone that the annual Christmas at Home food and toy drive was getting underway for another year and asks that any participating church that would like to participate this year to begin setting out food collection boxes now through near the middle of December.

It was also noted that as far as toys and gifts, more are needed this year for the adolescent and teenage children who benefit from the annual drive.

The next regular meeting of Albany City Council is scheduled for December 6 at 5 p.m. and is open to the general public.