Hornbeak to host disaster, safety event

By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Being prepared will be the day’s theme April 21 in Hornbeak.
Plans for the first-ever Safety and Preparedness Day were revealed to the Hornbeak mayor and board of aldermen at their monthly meeting Tuesday night.
The inaugural Safety and Preparedness Day — sponsored by Hornbeak Volunteer Fire Department, Samburg-Reelfoot Volun-teer Fire Department and Air Evac Lifeteam — will be held 3-6 p.m. April 21 at Hornbeak City Hall. The community is invited, particularly anyone interested in helping during a disaster and any civic or church groups.
The afternoon’s events will focus on disaster preparedness and disaster response and will also include free blood pressure and blood sugar checks, free smoke detectors while supplies last, rural fire information and Air Evac membership information. Refreshments will be available and there will be drawings at day’s end for a weather radio and Air Evac merchandise.
“Overall, it will be a day of information, fun and fellowship,” firefighter Brian Davis told the board.
In other action during Tuesday night’s meeting, the Hornbeak board:
• Authorized town maintenance employee Harold Burton to purchase supplies and repair holes on the back wall of the fire station.
• Tabled action on relocating a basketball goal at the city park, pending a cost estimate and more information.
• Voted to amend the engineering contract on the third phase of the town’s sewer project from $35,600 to $40,100 after hearing a brief update from engineer Bob Nichols, who said work on the plans should begin soon.
• Accepted a high bid of $1,600 from Mike Dial for the purchase of a tractor from the town and a high bid of $851 from Robin Parker for the purchase of a city-owned truck.
• Accepted a bid of $200 per mowing from Poyner’s Lawn Service of Hornbeak for the mowing of the city cemetery. It was the only bid received.
• Approved minor wording changes in the town’s interlocal agreement with the county for county-wide fire protection and in the rural fire response subscription contract. The changes were approved by the Obion County Commission at its March session.
On the agreement, it clarifies a $75 annual fee is to be paid on each address instead of each parcel and adds the county clerk’s office personnel to those held harmless for errors; and on the contract, it also clarifies address rather than parcel and makes a change that allows for an existing contract to remain in effect for a property until the end of the contract period, if a contract has already been paid, in the event the property is sold or transferred to another owner during that period.
• Approved payment of an invoice for $1,457.92 for two sewer grinder pumps.
• Adopted a resolution in support of the April observance of Fair Housing Month.
• Accepted a resolution from Time Warner in regard to operation of the town’s cable franchise.
• Voted to forgive the penalties on delinquent back taxes for the new owners of a property at 220 South Main St.
• Learned work is continuing on a resolution for the town’s proposed annexation project.
All seven aldermen were present for Tuesday night’s meeting.
Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by email at cmenees@ucmessenger.com.

Published in The Messenger 4.4.12