Saturdays’

Albany City Council welcomed back a member at its regular meeting held last Tuesday evening, February 7 at city hall with five members present.

Council members and Mayor Nicky Smith welcomed back Councilwoman Mary Faye Stockton, who is still recovering from a serious illness she suffered last year. She remained hospitalized for several weeks and was unable to function for sometime. The meeting last week was her first appearance since her illness.

Prior to the start of regular business, Mayor Smith also announced a new initiative that will begin on March 10, entitled “Meet the Mayor.”

The mayor told the council that beginning on that date and each second Saturday at 8 a.m. thereafter, he would welcome the public to his office for coffee, donuts and information sessions to hear Albany residents’ concerns and opinions as well as giving informal information on whatever issues involving the city that citizens may have.

Darren Byrne of Monarch Engineers then gave a brief update of the ongoing utility relocation projects involved with the U.S. 127/Albany Bypass project.

A bid opening had been held earlier that afternoon at city hall on the second and third sections of the relocation project, from Hwy. 1590 just west of Albany to Hwy. 969 leading to Duvall Valley and on to the Tennessee state line.

Byrne noted that the project was estimated at around $670,000 and the low bid, from Southern Backhoe, came in under the estimate at $634,000. He said work on the last phases of the utility relocation would begin sometime in March.

Byrne also reported that Twin States Utilities had relocated a water line along McWhorter Road (change order work) due to a change in highway plans to add a runoff lagoon which has exposed some newly relocated water line. The work consists of the relocation of water and sewer lines that are affected by the portion of the new bypass that begins at the Hwy. 90 and 127 caution light and extends to the vicinity of the radio station on Hwy. 1590. The work and final cleanup is now complete.

Kenneth Delk, a water department employee, also informed the court that water lines at the new Dollar General super store location in north Albany were being moved and water was being drained to an underground storage location to a point on U.S. 127.

Delk also fielded questions about other water lines issues.

Jay Stockton also questioned the council about the traffic problems around the Nolan Street area onto U.S. 127. There will be a turning lane installed off Nolan Street that will help some of the traffic congestion in that area, but since there will apparently be no traffic light installed, council members admitted traffic congestion would continue to be a concern.

The council also voted to declare a 2003 Ford F350 4WD extended cab with just over 100,000 miles as surplus property and sell via sealed bid. There is a minimum bid of $5,000 on the truck.

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