Effectiveness of Hickman stop sign placement questioned

During regular Hickman City Commission session Oct. 14, Willie Caton, Alliance Water Resource representative, reported 15,473,800 gallons of water were treated in September, and the retainer walls in the sedimentation basins have been completed at the Water Treatment Plant.

“On a positive note, we have repaired 16 leaks, made several repairs, one sewer blockage was cleared, and a section of eight-inch sewer main was replaced on Moscow Ave,” Caton said.

“Last week we went from bicarb to soda ash. Oct. 15, we will start setting the chemical tanks for the bleach to get rid of chlorine gas and new tanks for sodium glycolate for when we get started on the water project,” Caton reported.

Commissioners James Adams, Robert Griggs, Rob Hitesman, Judy Powell, and Mayor Heath Carlton in attendance.

During public comments, Gregory Black, local farmer, addressed the Commission with concerns of the new stop signs on Bernal Ave.

“We are having a lot of trouble with people running the stop signs and we’re going to have a bad accident. My daughter Ashley almost got hit the other day with kids. The signs are not visible enough for people to see, and they are not used to stopping there. What the solution is to take them down and getting the law officers to make the speeding limit to where they will quit,” Black stated.

Mayor Carlton said, “The Commission agreed, as a whole, to put the stop sign there to alleviate the speeding issue in the area.”

Black said, “Well, it is not stopping it. You haven’t seen anything until we have a good crop to stop at the stop signs and then take off. It will be so loud you won’t like it on that end of town. Most of the time if you are running 25 mph the trucks are quiet. But if we have to stop, we will tear the roads up loaded.”

“How often do the trucks run 25 up through there Greg?” Mayor Carlton asked.

“Well the speed limit does not even start until Bart Goodman’s at 25,” Black said.

Carlton responded, “No, it starts when you turn off of Moscow.”

“There is no sign there, until you get to Bart’s house,” Black said.

“Every City street in a residential area in the city limits of Hickman is 25 mph,” Carlton said.

“I talked to the woman over at Indian Hills Village and they said they tried to put up some caution lights at all their intersections. On Boone Street, people run the stop sign all the time coming down Allison Street in front of us. To me, it has nothing to do with the kids. I have never seen a kid crossing to the park. I’m worried because my mom and dad run it. I’ve seen others run it, because the signs are not visible enough. When we come out of the bottom the sign on the right will have to go. We can’t make a swing to even get on Boone Street. I almost side swept the other one the other day with a hopper bottom because it is so close to the utility pole, with me getting in the grass to make the swing. If you take the signs down, make everyone abide by the speed limits,” Black said.

Commissioner Adams said, “I have talked with John (Amberg) to order some Stop Ahead signs. It will take a little bit to get them. They had to be ordered.”

“I think you should have a special meeting to let everybody have their own opinion. Other people were going to show up, but they are planting stuff and stuff. The Majors too. It will be more noise for them to take off and everything,” Black said.

“I talked to about five residents who live on the end towards the Upper Bottom, near Cottonwood Drive and Pecan Circle and they don’t mind the stop signs at all,” Carlton said.

“Well, I do. I don’t like them,” Black said.

“I heard several comments on the stop signs. They need to be there,” Commissioner Powell said.

“I don’t like them and everybody else don’t like them. I have lived there all my life and drove it and nobody ever got hurt,” Black stated.

Carlton said, “The stop signs are doing what they were intending to do to slow traffic down.”

“For safety issues, I think the stop sign needs to stay,” Commissioner Adams said.

“I’m going to tell you, next Fall if we have a big crop in the bottom you will have so many complaints about the trucks stopping and taking off at the stop signs. You will have all that noise and everything. I have been hauling out of there all my life. We have people complain about the manholes and the drivers go around them because when you hit them it jars the house. We try to be as quiet as possible. Who wanted the stop signs?” Black asked.

“An Indian Hills representative wanted the stop signs, and speed bumps. I thought it would be better to have the stop signs, than the bumps for your trucks,” Commissioner Adams said.

“If someone has a wreck, it is too late then. My parents are older and can’t remember the stop signs. I have run it three or four times myself, coming out of the bottom with something on my mind and going right through it,” Black said.

“The County blacktopped that road years ago from the bottom to Hwy 94. They took care of the road. That is County blacktop that is on there. I still wish you would find a way for the law to do their job, instead of making a stop sign mandatory. It’s really a City street. It goes into Upper Bottom. Everyone going into there and coming out of there has never had to worry about stop signs. That 25 mph sign, when was it put up?” Black continued.

Commissioners discussed options to help make the stop signs more noticeable to the public including marking the street with white paint, placing “Stop Ahead” signs, and possibly hanging a stop sign.

Hickman Chief of Police Tony Grogan stated, “While sitting there, people are stopping more and more. We haven’t cited anyone running it while we are sitting there.”

Commissioners approved payment of Invoices to Vaughn Electric for $4,256.77 and $4,377.05; and the leasing of copiers for City Hall and Police/Fire Department from R.J. Young for 48 months.

The second reading of Ordinance 19-95, Right of Way Easement was heard and adopted.

Resolution 19-119, MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) version 10/14/19 was read and adopted for the SRO (School Resource Officer) for Fulton County Schools.

Municipal Order 19-10 was read and adopted creating a SRO Account at The Citizens Bank.

The first reading of Ordinance 19-96, amending Ordinance §6-16 was read and discussion held regarding horses, ponies and like size animals must be in an enclosure of 1.50 acres per animal and 100 feet from property lines

City Manager David Gallagher reported Coffey Construction should start work on Terrace Drive this week; Frankfort is running two or three weeks behind on Discretionary money; a Litter Grant for Trash pick-up on the streets must be filed by Nov. 1.

Gallagher also reported a state engineer will be in town for work on the ferry and will look at the retaining wall on Carroll Street.

Over-size items pick up is going well in the City of Hickman Gallagher reported and will continue an extra day to collect where they were not able to get to on Oct. 14. They will not collect from streets they have already collected.

John Amberg, Public Works Department, reported work on the Courthouse steps is completed, and work on “Pig Alley” is almost finished.

Commissioner Hitesman asked about the possibility of changing the meeting time from 7 p.m. to 5 p.m. City Attorney Leanna Wilkerson will work on an Ordinance Amendment for the next meeting.

Commissioner Powell inquired about changing the monthly meetings back to once a month, but with work to begin soon with the Agreed Order it was decided to leave the meetings at twice a month for now.