The Lyman Town Council held its regular monthly meeting on Monday, passing items related to voting procedures and wastewater infrastructure.
Old business included items speaking to the appointment terms and procedures for multiple town positions. Two of these ordinances amend the town code regarding the election of Mayor Pro Tempore and the appointment of committee members by Council.
Previously, council voting procedures made it difficult for multiple nominations to be presented before they were voted on. Under the new voting system, there will be a period of nominations for these roles, and Council will vote on each candidate via voice vote in alphabetical order by the candidate’s last name. Council approved this change to the voting system unanimously.
A third item of old business was an ordinance amending the language on the eligibility requirements for members of the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals. This item was postponed last month, after council member Cindy Behm raised concerns on a new subsection that would make it so that no commission members could be married, immediately related or living in the same residence.Â
Behm cited the issue of selective discrimination, as there are other town employees who have immediate family members also working for Lyman. At Monday’s meeting, Behm held this opinion and made a motion to remove the subsection from the ordinance before approval.
Behm’s motion to amend was approved by Council with a vote of 5-2. Council members Phil McIntyre and Jack Bellaire voted in opposition. The amended ordinance was then passed by Council in a vote of 6-1, with Bellaire in opposition. The subsection involving marriage or residential requirements has been removed, and the ordinance serves to update election procedures to match those of the Mayor Pro Tempore and committee members.
Council then moved forward to hear items of new business, including a resolution authorizing the purchase of a Flygt Pump for Lyman Farms Pump Station. The pump will cost $54,036, which will come from the town’s wastewater fund. Council approved the purchase unanimously.
No other actions were taken by Council, though several items were up for discussion only, including a proposed amendment to the town code from Mayor David Petty. Petty brought forth a potential ordinance amending Article VIII, Section 816 of the code, which deals with the parking and storage of certain vehicles. The discussion follows last month’s council meeting, where members expressed concerns regarding junk cars in yards.
Proposed changes to the code include crafting a clear definition of derelict vehicles and implementing an enforcement process for compliance. Moving forward, town staff will finalize the ordinance, and it will be forwarded to the Planning Commission for consideration. After this stage, it will return to Council for a vote.
Other items for discussion included updates from the Community Care Committee and Garden Club. Both of these groups have been working on cleanup efforts throughout the town, with the Garden Club setting goals to address drainage issues near the events center. Residents can learn more about the Community Care Committee by reaching out to council member Jack Bellaire, or the Garden Club by reaching out to council member Cindy Behm.
For more information on the Lyman Town Council, visit its website.
