For The Times & Free Press

After two public hearings Monday night, the Hennessey Board of Trustees put the final stamp needed to change zoning of 43.74 acres in the southeast part of town from general agriculture to general industrial.

All votes were unanimous.

The request came from Orr Construction at 1145 S. Main St. (U.S. 81) to expand its business east to Mitchell Road. The pipeline, plant and oilfield construction company’s office is located in the former Dollar Transportation building on Main Street.

Boththetownboardand the planning board were told by a representative of the Municipal League’s Institute for Building Technology and Safety that no complaints were made by surrounding land owners. She also showed printed and PowerPoint maps of the property.

Orr will put a security office on the Mitchell Road entrance.

The planning board held their hearing at 5:30 p.m. and it was over in about 15 minutes with the three members present voting in favor: Chairman Richard Hedrick, Dustin Vinson and Gary Stine-bring. Absent was Dustin Munroe.

The fifth member, Richard Simunek, was elected to the town board and a replacement has not been named yet.

Chris Orr of the construction company was at the planning board meeting and said it was his first time to be at a planning board meeting. He was told he didn’t need to be at the town board meeting by Town Administrator Tiffany Tillman and the IBTS rep.

Duringthetownboard’s hearing, Vice Mayor Bert Gritz said the town is almost “locked in about where we can develop property and I thought it would be along Mitchell Road south of Seventh Street.”

Curtis Turner, public works director, said it will cost about $100 a foot to get sewer facilities on that road because of drainage issues.

There was a question about how the property would be kept.

Tillman said there are more requirements for industrial than agriculture, and board member Keith Meek said the company has already cleaned up the property that fronts Main Street.

Other board members present were Mayor Mike Shaw and Clif Vogt. Board member-elect Richard Simunek was in the audience.

Library Hours Stay Same

A request by Library Director Ruth Ann Replogle to change the library hours was not approved. A motion by the mayor, seconded by Hardin to approve the change failed 3-2.

Replogle said 73 responded to a change and 65 percent agreed to the library being open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Vogt pointed out that library customers would have three hours less service during the week, and people would have more time after work to go to the library. He also said the town’s cost for three employees would be the same.

Replogle said they only have a few customers after 5 p.m.

Tillman said the library survey did not include asking that hours be left the same:   9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Town Jail

The board approved a request by Police Chief Hank Weber to accept his department’s Jail Policy and Procedure Manual.

He told them it’s the final item needed to get the jail certified so they can hold prisoners for more than 24 hours.

Weber said they are waiting on the jail lock company then for the state Health Department jail inspector to come and give final approval.

The reconstruction process of the jail to meet guidelines has taken about four years.

Impoundment Fee

The board approved, at the request of the police chief, an ordinance creating an impound fee of $50.

Hardin voted against it.

“They are already going to have to pay a fee to get their vehicle so I don’t understand stepping on them when they’re already down,” he said during discussion.

The mayor asked the reason for the ordinance.

The chief said it was to generate money.

He said the fee is usual for most departments and it’s a way to make sure the owner has insurance, is who he/she say they are by running their license and tag.

That takes about 15 minutes of a dispatcher’s time, he said.

When Shaw asked how many a month they have, Weber said 5-10 and it has been as high as 15-20 a month.

DUI arrests include impoundment, the chief said.

Tractor Bought From P&K

The board approved the $47,160.66 purchase of a John Deere 4066R compact utility tractor from P&K Equipment. That’s at the state contract price, Turner said.

Tillman said it will be paid from the restricted sales tax fund and told Simunek that it had been budgeted.

Personnel

After a 30-minute executive session to discuss personnel, the board:

• Raised new library employee Lyndsey Kopsa from $9 an hour to $13. Tillman commented that Kopsa has a master’s degree.

• Promoted Matt Bruner from police dispatcher to police officer.

• Hired Mahala Jones and Jessica Woods as police dispatchers at $9 an hour.