Siren shelved in Carlton; bats back

In other news, the bats are back. A pest removal company had cleared the city hall/fire dept of bats by installing a bat valve and closing that off once all the bats had left. Now the bats have found an opening in the fire truck bay doors and are returning to their old roost.

The council and fire department members will find and repair all possible openings to block the creatures out. The bat valve may have to be reinstalled for a period of time to clear the building again.

The long-awaited security bars on the city hall windows are still not in place. The council is running out of patience with the company and is considering a cancellation of the contract to seek another company.

This is the second year of a three-year plan for road improvements from the Department of Transportation. The city is banking the annual funds until a larger amount is accumulated before making any street repairs. The city only qualifies for $1,700 each year and that amount will repave only a small space. The city has to submit a list of its top three streets that need repairs.

The city’s new computer is being put to use. Water bills from June were sent out using the new machine. Water bills were computed using both the new and old systems to make sure the output was correct. The general ledger is now being installed on the new computer and should be up and running in a few days.