JACKSON COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

Our Public Works Department has put together a complete list of services offered by our sanitation department. If you wish to receive a copy of this information, stop by City Hall or call 243-2300 and we will be happy to send it to you.

Final 1995 construction reports show some leveling off of our new single-family home growth. In 1995, 110 new homes were built. This compares to 145 in 1994, 97 in 1993 and 67 in 1992. This leveling off of our growth should allow us to catch up on some projects and better plan for our future growth.

We will have an open house at our new City Hall in late February or early March. A firm date and details will be available and advertised later.

With the sale of our old City Hall for $206,000, the total cost of our new City Hall, including some needed updating on the lower two floors of the west wing for our library, will leave us with about $800,000 in the total city hall project. The building is estimated to be worth more than $2.5 million.

Our new City Hall will prove to be a long-term asset and tremendous bargain to the citizens of Jackson.

The bridge on Old Cape Road by Yamnitz Auto will be replaced this year. Almost 100 percent federal funds will pay for this project. Our city's engineering consultant, Rich Bowen, helped make this possible by his hard work in acquiring these funds.

The Board of Aldermen recently passed new, updated subdivision regulations. This was done after more than a year of study by the Planning and Zoning Board and the Board of Aldermen. This is another tool for better planning for the future growth of Jackson. Copies of these new regulations can be obtained at the Public Works Department office inside City Hall.

I have put together an aggressive list of goals for new and ongoing major projects for 1996. This list includes, but certainly is not limited to, the following goals:

~1. Completion of sewers in Grandview Acres.

2. Progress on the East Main Street extension.

3. More water available for the industrial park on Route PP.

4. Complete water line loops on our new water tower on the east side of Jackson.

5. New electric substation on the east side of Jackson.

6. New Old Cape Road bridge.

7. Update city's five-year plan.

8. Update city's comprehensive plan.

9. Complete Independence Street project and low-water bridge.

10. Complete solid-waste transfer station.

11. Work with state Highway Department to improve, hopefully with signals, the intersections of Highway 72 and Route PP and Highway 61 and Route D.

Many other projects and improvements also will be completed this year. If you have an idea for a worth future city project, feel free to call me any time.

The Jackson Board of Aldermen meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. We welcome your input to make our growing, progressive city a better place to live.