City council looks to solve storm drainage

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The Palmyra City Council Thursday, discussed efforts to help correct storm water drainage issues members were alerted of during the council meeting the week before.

Also Thursday evening, the council gave approval to pay a hiring bonus to secure the services of any officer and also okayed a contract allowing the police department to be able to start issuing digital traffic tickets. 

Council member Andrew Salsman, chairman of the Street and Alley Committee, said members held a meeting during which storm water drainage issues from Palmyra High School to Elizabeth Ave. were discussed.

He said the committee was to meet with Mark Bross of Klingnor & Associates this past Tuesday to discuss possible solitions.

Street Commissioner Austen Dornberger also told the council he had visited with residents in the affected area about options to improve drainage.

David and Alisha Jones addressed the council the week before telling of flooding in their home on Bailey Street following recent heavy rains.

They also said they and their neighbors were experiencing drainage issues in the past few years that had not occurred in previous years.

The city has been building up funds raised through a special sales tax passed a few years go  specifically to address storm water drainage issues throughout Palmyra.

Upon the recommendation of Police Chief Eddie Bogue, the council voted unanimously to allow the department offer a $2,000 signing bonus to a candidate officer to fill a vacant position with the department.

Bogue told council members, competition for police officers is heating up due to a reduction in the number of candidates.

He said he recently interviewed three, and was prepared to offer the position, but wanted to provide some extra incentive.

Council members discussed pros and cons, but decided the incentive was worth a try.

Bogue said he had money in the budget to pay the incentive.

The council also voted unanimously in favor of the city entering into contract with digiTICKET to allow the police department to move from issuing physical paper traffic tickets to digital ones.

Bogue championed the service as a way to make the process more efficient, accurate and even safer for officers who will be able to cut down on the time needed during road-side stops.

With approval, Bogue said his department should be able to switch to the new system in the next couple of months.

Council member Brock Fahy reported he continues to work on the proposed boundaries for a Community Improvement District in Palmyra. However, in order to move forward with the effort, the city will have to come up with at least $50,000 to pay for the legal paperwork.

Also discussed were on-going efforts to: 

• complete a revision of the city’s employee handbook;

• finalize an updated agreement with the Palmyra Cemetery Endowment and Improvement Association; and

• finalize an agreement with the appointed emergency management director.