Berlin Town Council gets park update, talks member pay rates, readies for road work

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The Berlin Town Council voted to surplus and sell its existing farmers market building when it builds an upgraded facility. (Cullman Tribune file photo)

Town will hold public hearing in December to consider vacating road

BERLIN, Ala. – The Berlin Town Council on Monday heard about updates and upgrades to its development plans for the park and farmers market around town hall on U.S. Highway 278.

According to Mayor Patrick Bates, everything is moving ahead according to plan. He did note an upgrade to the plan with downspout collection lines to all planned structures after being informed that doing so would only require an extra 90 feet of pipe. All drainage will go to an on-site detention pond.

Informed of the cost and other issues involved in taking down the current farmers market structure and reassembling it elsewhere on the site, Bates recommended that the building be surplused and sold, to be replaced with a new building. The request was approved unanimously.

Town government pay rates

The council also discussed pay rates for its members and the mayor. Currently, neither Mayor Bates nor any council members receive any pay beyond reimbursement for work-related expenses. All members seemed satisfied with the free arrangement or some minimal pay, but Bates said that the Town would need to have an ordinance in place before next year’s elections. The council will consider the matter over the next few months.

Request to vacate road and right of way

The council received a request to vacate an unnamed and currently unused road and right-of-way from resident Bobby Hill. Due to mislocation of property lines, the right-of-way includes structures on the resident’s property. The council will hold a public hearing on the request at its next meeting.

County Roads 1612 and 1614

Bates told the council that he had received a $75,000 bid for work on County Roads 1612 and 1614, the previously approved spending limit on the current part of the project, with included repairs to washed out areas. Work is expected to begin next week while county schools are out for Thanksgiving, and should take about two weeks to complete.

The Berlin Town Council meets at 7 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at Berlin Town Hall. The public is invited to attend.

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