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Dear
Spring Hope Residents:
Since my last report to you, the New Town Hall has been
completed and is in full operation. If you have not yet visited
us, please do so and someone will be glad to show you around the
building. The Open House and dedication Ceremony was held on
April 4th. The new building has a drive-thru water
payment window that will be more convenient to citizens in time
of bad weather. The new Town Hall is handicapped accessible,
while the old building was not. A very nice and large front
plaza area can be used for gatherings and events. The Board of
Commissioners Meeting room may be used by local non-profit and
civic clubs for meetings. The meeting room is now equipped with
an over head projector that can be used for power point
presentations.
This past December, the Town, at the request of the
property owner, annexed 82 acres of property known as May Farms
into the Town Limits. This property is located on the west side
of Highway 581 South between Meeks Cemetery, and the Highway 64
Interchange. This annexation represents an eight percent
increase in the land area of the Town. Some commercial
development is planned on the southern part of this property in
the near future. Development of this area would provide a much
needed new tax base for the Town.
The Town was awarded an $840,000 grant from the Clean Water
Management Fund to repair and rehabilitate its sewer collection
system and its wastewater treatment plant. The grant project
has been signed by the Town Board of Commissioners. The design
of the improvements will begin soon and hopefully actual work on
the collection system will begin within three months. This
grant will help the Town to greatly reduce its sewer inflow and
infiltration problems that it has every time it rains. Once
these problems are resolved, the Town will be able to accept new
residential and commercial development.
The Town in July of this year will also apply for an
additional $855,000 grant to do additional upgrades at the
Wastewater Treatment Plant and to the collection system.
The Town is working on obtaining a phone system that would
enable us to automatically call all of our water customers and
advise them if the water will be temporarily turned-off due to
repairs to the lines. This system can be used to advise and
remind citizens of special events and recycling pickup days and
when the garage pickup schedule will be changed due to a
Holiday.
I hope everyone has a great summer.
John M.
Holpe, Town Manager |
