The citizens of Brundidge will have an opportunity to give additional input into the outdoor recreation park that is proposed for Ramage Park just off South Main Street.

The city council agreed at its Tuesday meeting to hold a public hearing at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, at Brundidge City Hall to discuss possible uses for the park.

The council had discussed a walking trail on the 2.5+ acres. However, safety concerns were expressed by several citizens causing the council to rethink the use for the park.

Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage said the public hearing will give Brundidge residents another opportunity to let the council know what kind of park they want and will use.

“In discussions about the park, it was brought to our attention that many of our citizens use the track at Pike County High School for walking,” Ramage said. “The track ins lighted but there are several blind spots where the lighting isn’t adequate. So, what we would like to do is place additional lights in these areas to better light the track. Someone suggested that, while we were putting in the lights, we should go ahead and resurface the track. The high school doesn’t use the track anymore and it does need resurfacing. Of course, we’ll need the approval of the Pike County Board of Education before we can move ahead.”

Britt Thomas, city manager, said the city has streetlights that were taken down when the city installed LED lighting and those lights will be used at the track.

“We’ll hope to get those lights up in the next couple of weeks,” Thomas said. “And, if we get permission from the Pike County board, we’ll get estimates on resurfacing the track.”

Councilmember Cynthia Pearson expressed her appreciation for the new playground equipment that was recently installed at Galloway Park.

“There are children out there playing all the time and they are having a good time,” Pearson said. “However, adults are congregating there at times, drinking and smoking and keeping the children away.”

There are cameras at the playground and they should be more closely monitored, the council agreed. Parents will also be asked to call the police station to report any misused of the park.

Councilman Lawrence Bowden brought a concern to the table about animal control in the city.

Bowden said that dogs continue to be a problem in neighborhoods around the city, with incidents of nuisance reported as well as those of residents being attacked and bitten by dogs that are allowed to run free.

“We have discussed this problem before and it frizzled and fell by the wayside,” Bowden said. “But we don’t need to wait until someone is seriously injured before we do something about this problem.”

Ramage said the city has a dog leash law on the books and suggested that the council take a close look at it. The council asked Thomas to check with other area towns to see how they are coping with the problem of unrestrained dogs.

The council gave Thomas the go-ahead to proceed with the application for a Community Development Block Grant to replace the 4-inch water lines on Lee and Oak streets and in the Caldwell Housing Authority section with 6-inch lines. The 6-inch lines will improve water pressure and assist the city with the state fire code.

Thomas reported that the city has applied an EMA Mitigation Grant for safe housing for victims of natural disasters and, in the interest of public safety, weather radios for every household.

The council declared two trucks, a 1992 Ford and a 1985 Chevrolet S-10, that are used by the street department surplus and the trucks will be sold on www.gov.deal.

The current budget includes $18,000 for trucks for the street department. Thomas said two 2003 Ford F-150s were purchased for $13,400 and also three golf carts that are being used by meter readers and for trash pickup. The golf carts were purchased at a cost of $3,000.

The council also adopted a resolution for the reapportionment of district lines. The reapportionment will only affect 75 residents.

Prior to the council’s regular meeting, the council held a public hearing to get the community’s input on a request for the re-zoning of property located at 915 Elm Street.

At its regular meeting the council voted to grant the request that will allow a manufactured home to be placed on the lot.