Public Works report to City Council


Council member Ranger Wilkerson, chair of the city’s Public Works Committee, reported several items at Monday’s City Council meeting.

Wilkerson first asked City Engineer Frank Frazier to report on the Chevasse Avenue widening project. According to Frazier, the project will have to cross four property parcels on three separately owned properties. Frazier reported to the council that the three owners had verbally agreed to allot the city the right-of-way, but that nothing had been signed as of that time. He later reported that it would take two to three weeks to get easements on the properties.

As to the Westover Terrace drainage project, it was reported that the money was nearly allocated.

Wilkerson reported that he had instructed James Morgan, Director of Public Works, to come up with facts and figures regarding sanitation back-door pick up. He told the council that he does not see how the city can proceed with a proposed once-per-week curbside pickup when containers would cost half a million dollars. He told the council that the cost could not be passed on to the homeowner.

Henderson Mayor Clem Seifert commented that hundreds of cities in North Carolina do trash pickup at the street and that there has to be a way to do a reasonable assessment.

Council member Mary Emma Evans told the council, “I don’t see why we’re trying to fix something that isn’t broken.”

“We have to look out for our old people,” she told council members.