Leesburg Proceeding With Memorial Day Parade May 25
Posted
Deb McAuliffe Sprong-
LEESBURG – The annual Memorial Day parade will proceed in Leesburg with modifications to suit COVID-19 guidelines.
Street Commissioner Craig Charlton said during Monday’s town board meeting that he’s had many calls regarding the event, and so had board President Doug Jones: “I’ve been barraged with it,” he said.
Charlton said the May 25 event will have a ceremony downtown and one at the cemetery as usual to honor all U.S. veterans. However, the parade itself will be limited to vehicles only – no walking units. And no food or candies will be available, said board member Christina Archer.
All efforts will be made to observe proper social distancing, Charlton said.
Lineup for the parade will begin at 10:15 a.m., with the parade starting at 10:30.
Sewer superintendent Derek Tenney raised another issue he said keeps coming up: Who pays for replacing and reseeding grass after work is done on a resident’s property? The excavator? The homeowner?
Board member Tom Moore said because the town has an easement to the property, reseeding should part of the work the town is doing. “That’s definitely our responsibility,” agreed Jones. “We should put it back the way we found it.”
Before reseeding, Jones said, they should consider sod as an alternative. He said sod costs are “pretty reasonable” right now.
Also during the meeting, the board agreed to use some of the K21 Foundation grant money for “walking paths” in town. Moore said there are half blocks and quarter blocks in town that don’t have any sidewalks.
Jones said the upgrade would “dress up the town” and also get all sidewalks in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Archer said a walking path has been her No. 1 priority for the grant money “because everyone in our community can use it.”
Charlton reminded that sidewalks are taxpayers’ responsibility and if they don’t maintain their sidewalks the town can do it and then put the cost on the property owner’s taxes.
In other business:
• The town is moving forward with Phase 1 of the Van Buren Street curb project, which would do the north side of Van Buren from Ind. 15 to Jefferson Street.
Two bids were received for the work: $42 per linear foot from Chad Bruner Construction and $48.51 per linear foot from Butt & Timmons. The project is 520 linear feet. Charlton said the town also has the option to buy the concrete itself for $5,000, which would make that portion of the cost tax-exempt.
The board voted to use Chad Bruner Construction for the project. Bruner’s bid would equal $21,840 if the town does not buy the concrete and, at $33 per linear foot, $17,160 if it does.
• Charlton said the business at Pearl and Plum streets is “making an effort” at getting rid of the vehicles at the property. A number of vehicles have been removed since the last board meeting, he said.
• Four notices were issued for abandoned vehicles left unattended for 15 consecutive days. All vehicles have been removed, Charlton said.
• New flags are flying on the streetlights downtown, Charlton said. The old ones were “faded and tattered.”
• The board voted to go ahead with Garage Sale Days June 12-13. Archer said she heard a discussion on the news and is confident the town can meet social distancing guidelines, unless there’s a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases. Moore added that restrictions will be eased again later in May, when stage 4 permits gatherings of 250.
• Sewer rates for churches and restaurants in town will increase to 50% of their original rate beginning May 11. The town had reduced the fee to a single-user rate while the businesses were not open.
The next town board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. June 8 in the town hall.
