The City of Madison City Commission held their monthly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10. There were several items of discussion including overnight parking of tractor-trailers, natural gas operations beyond the meter, new water and natural gas meters and presentation of a $100,000 check from Florida Recreation Development Assistant Program. After several months of discussing the City of Madison ordinance that does not allow tractor-trailers to park overnight in residential areas, the commissioners allowed City Manager Tim Bennett to seek assistance from the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council to prepare options of changing the ordinance. Executive Director Scott Koons of the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council presented the City Commissioners with three options. Option 1 was to enforce the existing ordinance. Option 2 was to repeal the ordinance that prohibited overnight parking of tractor-trailers in residential areas. Option 3 was to amend the ordinance to allow overnight parking of tractor-trailers in residential areas within 300 feet of the owner’s/operator’s residence, provided that the parking of the vehicle does not impede safe traffic flow and access by emergency vehicles. The commissioners voted 3-2 with Mayor Ina Thompson and Commissioner Jim Catron against to proceed with amending the ordinance to allow overnight parking of tractor-trailers in residential areas within 300 feet of the owner’s/operator’s residence, provided that the parking of the vehicle does not impede safe traffic flow and access by emergency vehicles.
The commissioners voted to install new Neptune water and wastewater meters in a 24 city block area of the City of Madison. The area will run from Sumpter Street in the north to Macon Street in the south to Washington Street in the west to Hancock Avenue in the east. These new meters will allow employees to read meters just by driving by the house and the meter readings are captured digitally. The system will record and store data for 96 days for each customer. This be at no cost to the city. It will come from the TIF funds, a designated portion of property taxes, accumulated over a period of time, that can be reinvested in the area for projects such as streets, sidewalks, street lights, landscaping, utilities, parks, parking facilities, property acquisition, demolition and removal of buildings, and repair and rehabilitation of buildings. The commissioners approved the recommendation to no longer provide natural gas services beyond the meter other than lighting the pilot. Customers will be informed via letter with a list of licensed contractors that can perform work beyond the meter. This will take effect Dec. 10. The City of Madison has received two $50,000 FRDAP Grants to improve Lanier Field and Sumpter A. James, Jr. Park. Craig D. Liney of the Division of Recreation and Parks presented a $100,000 check to the commissioners. A tennis court will be added to Lanier Field, along with football and soccer goals. Sumpter A. James, Jr. Park will have picnic tables, grills, horseshoe pits, hopscotch and shuffle board games and walking track signage. The Madison County Health Department and Students Working Against Tobacco presented the commissioners with a resolution to designate all of the parks in the City of Madison a tobacco-free zone. The resolution was approved. The Madison County Health Department and Students Working Against Tobacco also presented a Proclamation to designate Nov. 19, 2015 as Tobacco Free Day in the City of Madison. It was also approved. The City of Madison City Commission will hold their December meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 5:30 p.m.
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1. Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo By Jessie R. Box, November 10, 2015. Pictured above: The Madison County Health Department and Students Working Against Tobacco presented a Proclamation to designate November 19, 2015 Tobacco Free Day in the City of Madison. Pictured, from left to right, are: SWAT student Elsie Kuhl, Mayor Ina Thompson, Betsy Rykard of the Madison County Health Department, SWAT Coordinator Trista Agner and SWAT student Joseph Thompson.
2. Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo By Jessie R. Box, November 10, 2015. Pictured right: Craig D. Liney of the Division of Recreation and Parks (left) presented a $100,000 check to City of Madison Mayor Ina Thompson (right) to improve Lanier Field and Sumpter A. James, Jr. Park.