Harrogate officials will be scrambling to find a suitable replacement for Rick Davis, who announced his resignation as the Harrogate fire chief during the board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) meeting last week.
The announcement comes on the heels of the notice by city recorder Rose Kiser last month of her impending retirement on Jan. 2.
Davis said Dec. 31 will be his last active day as the city fire chief.
The BMA is expected to review prospective replacements during an upcoming work session.
During his report, Davis said his department has seen a sharp increase in the number of runs the last couple of months, beginning in August with a record 29 calls for help.
“This is the most I have seen since being at the station,” said Davis.
The fire department responded to 15 calls, he said, during the month of September.
In other action, the council spent a bit of time working through various issues having to do with the city wastewater system.
Matthew Hatfield and John Allen, partners of Hatfield & Allen, were present last week to update the council on the continuing project to install collection lines along Coleman Street and some of the connecting side roads in that area of the city.
The flow project is receiving the help of some $473,000 in funds from a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), awarded to the city in 2014.
Allen said the contracts have been signed. Work was expected to begin the following week.
He estimated the project should be completed by mid-January.
Approximately 45 homes will then have the opportunity to connect to the city sewer line.
Hatfield and Allen are working on a second project to develop a backup pump station for the one currently located on Patterson Road. The firm is weighing the available options for adding ‘wet well’ storage. It could cost upwards of $2,000 to conduct a core drilling on site.
However, Allen said, the money spent would head off any unforeseen problems, down the road, that could easily cost the city $100,000.
The biggest issue is the likelihood that the project could incur extra costs through the excavation of rock that is likely just under the surface of the proposed site.
The cost, Hatfield said, of simply replacing the control equipment would basically provide a new version of what currently exists. Apparently, the firm is trying to get as close as possible to the city’s plans to double the capacity.
After a bit more discussion, the BMA unanimously approved setting aside the funds to conduct the necessary core drilling.
It looks as though residents living in and around the Ball Apartments will get a bit of relief from an apparent unpleasant odor. The council unanimously approved a motion to spend up to $500 to install a temporary odor control tank in the Marsee Springs community.
David Lamb, who is the city maintenance supervisor, said his department has a pump that can be used to eliminate a substantial portion of the odor, at its source.
Reach Jan Runions at 423-254-5588 or on Twitter @scribeCP.
