Engineers may recommend solution for Callaway lift station

CALLAWAY — Callaway City Commissioner Melba Covey said she expects a joint recommendation from city and county engineers on the Cherry Street lift station by the end of the week.

Covey met with Callaway city staff and engineers from both Carollo Engineering and Webster Environmental Associates on Tuesday. Carollo was retained by the county and Webster by the city.

“At this junction there still are a few loose ends tied up between engineers,” Covey said at the Tuesday night commission meeting.

Mayor Thomas Abbott told residents the commission is waiting for a potential recommendation before making a decision about calling an independent meeting about the lift station. He said the joint recommendation would be “potentially fruitful.”

Also Tuesday, the commission voted 3-2 in favor of accepting funds from the Florida Department of Transportation for traffic signal maintenance. FDOT is offering Callaway $10,000 to maintain lights on state roads.

Interim City Manager Michael Fuller said the quarterly cost for the previous two quarters was $2,303 and $7,122. Callaway contracts with Bay County to perform maintenance.

“In a good year we may make money,” Fuller said.

Commissioner Ralph Hollister countered that in the three years previous, “We got our butts kicked.”

City Attorney Kevin Obos agreed that previous appropriations from FDOT did not cover maintenance.

Covey and Bob Pelletier voted against the funds.

“I don’t see why we would want to put ourselves in the middle and be liable to lawsuits,” Covey said.

Commissioner Pamn Henderson said an agreement with the state in 2002 stated DOT would provide no maintenance for signals if not contracted through Callaway.

“If the state isn’t responsive and the county isn’t responsive, then these people come to us to fix them,” Abbott said.

In other action Tuesday, commissioners:

-Approved refinancing of an Advanced Wastewater Treatment loan, saving $684,000 in interest.

-Approved eliminating late notices for water bills, meant to save time of City Hall employees.

-Approved a permit for a homeowner to maintain fowl on property on Comet Road.

-Approved prorating salaries for outgoing and incoming commissioners after elections. Covey said paid for her commission seat twice in April.

-Approved changes to public participation time limit from three minutes to five minutes. Abbott said to resident John Malone, who spoke 10 times Tuesday, “If this would have been the first item, you would have had 50 minutes of your own tonight.”