The big news to come from last week’s Magee Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting was the change in curfew hours for the city.
The new curfew, which went into effect last Thursday, is between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. It replaces the previous curfew set during the earlier coronavirus precautions that was in effect from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The change comes in part because no enforcement penalties were in place for the earlier curfew. The board opted to follow the governor’s lead on shelter in place, which calls for a $500 fine and up to six months in jail for offenders. The board opted for a $500 fine and up to 30 days in jail for each occurrence of breaking curfew.
Police Chief Randy Crawford said most people are complying with the order to go home if they are stopped in violation of the curfew, but some choose not to, and that is why the changes were deemed necessary.
The new curfew still allows essential employees to travel to and from work. However, they should have a letter from their employer identifying them as essential employees.
The mayor reported that the water leaks that closed down the intersection of Main Avenue and Hwy. 149 two weeks ago may cost the city between $50,000 and $100,000, but he stated that it was an unbudgeted emergency that had to be repaired. As of Monday of this week, repairs were not complete. He said one of the biggest costs was for the two 8-inch valves that had to be put in. Berry went on to say this could be “a budget buster.”
Berry reported to the board that the Magee Airport has reopened for business. Runway improvements that closed the airport had been delayed because of weather, but the repair work has been completed.
Berry reported that he had met with City Parks and Recreation Director David Dunn, and they are still hopeful of getting the baseball program underway in two weeks. He added that the state would determine whether recreation programs could resume, however.
Two options are available, according to Berry, if the season can not open. One, players who have already paid their fee can opt to be pre-paid for the next season, and two, those who want a refund may contact the city to request it. However, these options will not be available until a decision is reached as to whether there will be a season.
The board went on to discuss whether a direct correlation exists between the recent boring for fiber optics and the large number of leaks in the city’s water lines.
Berry stated that the county has agreed to provide rock for the 11th Avenue project near Cypress Point subdivision. The west side of 11th is in the county and the east side is in the city limits. In return for the materials where the culvert has washed, the city will provide labor for the project.
The board approved parttime employment for Brittany Walker in dispatch and Joseph Welch as a parttime officer.
The board heard from Alderman Patrick Brown, who said there are some water pressure issues in his ward where Hilton and Lamar streets have dead-end plugs. He said engineering had been done to correct the issue with a loop in the system. The mayor said they would look to see if that could be corrected.
