“We’re going to be very close on money, if not over because of all the extra stuff on that depot”

The Blue City Council approved an abatement this week for the train depot project, showing the strain on the project’s budget. During a special called meeting Tuesday, council approved several items on the second page of a two-page abatement. Previously, council had approved the first page. At the last regular meeting, however, some items on the second page of the abatement raised a red flag. As such, council tabled page two, allowing time to review the items. Page-two consisted of traffic control devices at a cost of $1350; dumpster at a cost of $150; portable restrooms at a cost of $450, superintendent fees at a cost of $2100, and general conditions costing $1850, for a total of $5,988.50. Since the first discussion, Mayor Donna Whitener said the contractors are now using the city’s barricades (traffic control devices) and the portable restrooms have been taken away.

After reviewing the remaining items on the list, council agreed the only item that seemed unnecessary was the supervisor fees. Council member Rhonda Thomas explained they were because Johnson Landscape, the contractor, relocated a supervisor to the site at a time when he had nothing to do, due to complications in the project. Council member Michael Eaton called this mismanagement on their part, while the rest of the council agreed. Eaton then made a motion to accept all of the items on the list with the exception of the supervisor fees. The motion passed unanimously.

During the discussion, Mayor Whitener also cautioned council on spending.

“We’re going to be very close on money, if not over because of all the extra stuff on that depot,”

she said.