JACKSON ALDERMEN OK PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT BROOKSIDE PARK

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Aldermen approved plans on Monday for improvements at Brookside Park that will make the veteran's memorial at the west end of the park accessible to the handicapped.

Jackson Mayor Paul Sander said of the project: "We've got a $200,000 plus memorial out there and the city still does not have a nickel in it. We have a memorial that a lot of veterans cannot get to. That's not a good situation."

The board also voted to waive the requirement of a performance bond, which will attract more bidders for the project. The project has been approved by the Jackson Park Board.

Plans for the improvements were prepared by Jackson architect, John Dudley, and include construction of a gravel road to an asphalt-paved parking lot, with spaces for handicapped parking and a paved sidewalk with railings leading to the memorial.

The city's consulting engineer, Rich Bowen, estimated the cost of the project at $27,000-$28,000. Funding for the project will come from the city's electric surplus fund.

In other business, Public Works Director Mark Brown reported on a residence that's being used as a multi-family dwelling at 119 N. Farmington.

Brown said the owner of the house had requested a permit to remodel the structure. During routine inspections, the inspectors discovered the owner intended to use the house as a multi-family residence although it is in a single-family zone.

"The owner said the house was grandfathered in as a multi-family dwelling when the city's zoning ordinance was adopted in 1963," Brown said. "But our investigation revealed that it is actually non-conforming and illegal.

"A notice has been sent to the property owner, who must either ask for a special-use permit or ask for the property to be rezoned."

Brown also reported Monday that the developer of Trail Ridge Subdivision Number Three has yet to backfill in front of the city street, which has caused erosion under the street and is endangering the integrity of the pavement.

Brown said the developer has been told that if the situation is not corrected, the city will issue no more building permits for the subdivision.

The board also approved replacement of street signs in the Noon Optimist Club's Safety City, at a cost of $354. The signs will replace those that have been stolen during the past year.

And the board approved the appointment of four aldermen to a mayor's committee to study street widths and parking policies for future streets constructed with city transportation tax money. The members are Jack Piepenbrok, chairman, Val Tuschhoff, Kevin Sawyer and David Hitt.