The Livingston City Council awarded a contract for the demolition of structures located at 154 Banks Dr. – the former Burmont Nursing Home – to Inland Environmental Ltd. during its Oct. 8 regular meeting.
“It is a good day. We are finally at a point where we can begin demolition of the old nursing home,” City Manager Bill S. Wiggins said.
Ten companies expressed interest when the requests for proposal were sent out and six submitted bids, Wiggins said. For a cost of $82,880, Inland Environmental Ltd. will demolish the entire building and take all material, toxic and non-toxic, elsewhere. The project is expected to take 10 days to complete once it begins.
Council approved the re-appointment of Mayor Judy Cochran as a director to the Sam Rayburn Municipal Power Agency Board of Directors for the 2024-2026 term. Each of the three member cities – Livingston, Jasper and Liberty – has two directors on the board that serve staggered terms. Cochran and Clarke Evans are Livingston’s representatives on the board and Cochran’s term expires this month.
Holiday compensation for 2024 was approved. For Thanksgiving, the city will give all fulltime and parttime employees and the municipal judge the choice of a turkey or ham, which will cost $4,500. For Christmas, employees with more than one year of service will receive one week’s salary. Employees who have been with the city less than a year will receive $100. This will cost $97,535.
Although the city had previously approved an order of General Election to elect one mayor and two councilmembers on Nov. 5 and subsequently approved the notice of General Election, changes made by the Polk County Clerk, who also serves as the voter registrar, necessitated Council approving them again. One of the Election Day vote centers was changed and a Saturday and a Sunday were added to the early voting schedule.
Council entered into an executive session to consult with the city attorney but took no action upon return to open session.
Wiggins will present his monthly update on projects and events. He reported there are 12 commercial projects and 20 residential projects currently underway. Upcoming events include: Livingston Farmers & Artisan Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 19 at 508 N. Washington next to Katie’s Café; Livingston Trade Days Oct. 19-20 at Pedigo Park; the Livingston Community Clean-Up from 8 a.m. to noon on Oct. 26 at Pedigo Park which is only available to residents of the city limits; and the Main Street “Broomsticks & Brews” Sip and Shop Event from 5-7 p.m. on Oct. 26 in the Main Street District. He also reported that the improved municipal golf course is now open and the new pickleball courts are open as well.
Other business included approval of accounts over $500 and minutes of the Sept. 10 meeting.
