Fans of Country Home Processing in Albion will have a shorter drive in the near future. Grayville Commissioners Monday night entered into a lease agreement with the business putting them at 133 North Industrial Avenue, home of the former Irvine’s Meat and Deli. In other government real estate business Monday, council formally agreed to the buyback of 135 Koehler Street from Sara Weber. The ordinance passed indicates Weber won’t be able to engage in the commercial development of the property.
Also Monday night, leaders voted to establish utility deposits as follows: $100 for gas service, $100, for water service, and $50 for sewer. The rates are effective immediately but only apply to new applicants. Of note however, a current resident who hasn’t been subject to a deposit who moves to another Grayville address would in fact be subject to paying the new deposits established Monday night. That was a sticking point at previous meetings for Councilman Scott Browning, though he voted for the establishment of those rates at the meeting.
Council will also be reviewing the budget for Fiscal Year 2025/2026. Treasurer Sharon Walden went over the document Monday night.
For our approved budget, revenues we show $6,041,808.74. Expenses we have $6,341,441.69. We have a loss of $299,632.95. We do have capital expenses amounting to $454,595.98 so our operating profit for 2025/2026 will be $159,963.03.
You can review the budget below.
A public hearing has been set for members of the community to sound off or ask questions regarding the proposed budget prior to approval at the upcoming April 14th meeting. The hearing will be held at 6:45pm prior to the 7pm regular meeting.
In the public comment portion of Monday’s meeting, former councilman and finance commissioner David Jordan voiced concerns about both the city’s brush dump and also the municipality ensuring those in the community with vision issues or deterioration as Jordan himself is going through are still in the loop on city agendas.
Several people, older people especially, whatever falls out of their car wherever it falls out is where it lays so it really needs to be pushed up a little more often this time of year. I know the guys are busy, but it gets to the point where you can’t get around the drive. The second part of my concern is there’s a bad wash on the north side of that drive and elderly people that take their cars up there try to avoid that rut and wind up getting into the brush on the side, I’ve seen too many of them do it, so if that island could be added to the weed eating that’s to be done up there this summer, I think would help alleviate a lot of concern.
I can’t understand why the city stopped posting the agenda on the web page. In the year and a half since my vision has gone downhill, I’ve talked to that are visually impaired. I can’t read that post out there [in the front of the city building]. And I appreciate Scott trying to post it on his [facebook] page. But the way it’s posted, I can’t blow it up large enough to read it so I’m being excluded from being able to see the agenda whether it’s a special meeting, public hearing, you know whatever’s going on.
Leaders said they would check into it and get the agendas posted on the site where Jordan’s computer will allow better accessibility.
Council adjourned at 7:30pm and will next gather Monday, March 24th at 7pm.
