On Thursday, January 19th, the Bloomingdale City Mayor and Council met for their regular bi-monthly Council meeting. The first subject up for discussion was the continuing saga of water withdrawal permits. Mayor Tipton, just back from Atlanta, announced that he had just attended the very first meeting of Dr. Carol Couch’s new State Water Committee, of whom he has been appointed a member. Councilman Johnny Myrick informed council that resident Mr. Hood had agreed to allow city workers onto his property in order to better clean the Pipe-makers Canal Spur. He also said that he would be meeting with the city’s Lynn Street residents to discuss with them the long awaited paving of Lynn Street.

     In New Business, the Council approved the granting of four licenses for home businesses to Joseph Tirpak Jr., Sidney Keys, Earl Newman, and Jimmy Kerby. Councilman Myrick then announced the declaration of two old Isuzu pickup trucks from the Maintenance Department to the Police Department to be used for police business. One truck actually works, because of the parts stripped from the other one in order to keep it running. A Ford pickup was declared surplus property and sold. Hazel Donahue’s property on Cherry Street was discussed, as she had applied for a recombination of her lots from eight to four. Mayor and Council signed off on the new survey plat so it could be registered. Now that the Police Department building is finally near completion, Council agreed to the Phase One of renovations to City Hall. This phase will include the redoing of the council room, foyer, and storage rooms, as they prepare to create more city offices in the old police department space. City workers asked that Mayor and Council agree that their one designated paid holiday should be the Monday before Tuesday, July 4th, which they did.

     Fermin Tyler complained that the run-down house on 308 Pine Street was falling into even worse shape, and that it was lowering the property values of the two homes he was building on the lots next door. Council reminded him that the owner had complied with their earlier order to clean up the property, and decided to inform him of the need for more work on this property.

     Gaddy Turner appeared before Mayor and Council to get several questions answered about upcoming development he had planned to build between Garvin, Hickory and Cregor Streets. He asked for permission to open up West Garvin, which would allow him access to the land- locked portions of his property. Dawn Roberg appeared before Council to ask several general questions about some property she plans to develop on Poplar and Boulevard Streets.

     In their last piece of business, Mayor and Council approved the firing of Lieutenant Marta Street for unspecified reasons, stating simply that the departure of Officer Street would be for the best. Officer Street, a long-time veteran of the force, had been suspended while an investigation was ongoing.