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November 16, 2005
Beatty continues its discussion on vintage outdoor street lights
By RICHARD STEPHENS
Helmer, representing the Chicago firm of Calite & Design, showed the board and audience a number of design and accessory options and answered questions about cost, durability, different types of bulbs, and other issues. "The hardest thing is to get people to agree on one design," said Helmer, advising the board to narrow its choices down to two or three designs and appoint a committee to make a final choice. He also said that the lighting should be designed to be soft and even. "Make it pedestrian friendly," he said. "Make people want to walk after dark." In other news from Beatty: • The room tax issue again was the source of lively discussion. LaMar Walters said an audit of the Phoenix Inn was scheduled to begin Friday. Beatty General Improvement District Chairman Brad Hunt continued to complain about unpaid and exempted room taxes in local motels. He said that he and town secretary Janet Rogers would be meeting with a representative of the district attorney's office to discuss a ruling on the matter, with which he does not agree. • The board was approached by the museum board for help with some of the facility's bills. The agenda item specified a $5,000 request for money from the 1.5 percent room tax set aside for tourism. "We don't want $5,000," said Bob Revert. "We're just asking to be made whole through October and to be able to come back later if we need more." Revert said that he felt the museum was the biggest tourist attraction in town and should qualify for money from the tourism fund. The board voted to transfer $5,000 from the tourism fund to the museum account anyway, to provide for current needs with something extra for the near future. • The board also allotted $1,200 to cover expenses, including entertainment, for the town's annual Christmas party. • Mike Lasorsa reported the former trailer park next to the elementary and middle school had been successfully cleaned up, and that mobiles across from the school in the other direction were also being taken care of. He indicated the next target for cleanup will be the abandoned apartments on Watson near the clinic hill. • Kitty Shubert, from the Beatty Economic Development Corporation, said she had done a lot of networking at a gathering in Elko. Regarding people involved in renewable energy, she said, "They know we're ready and willing. Our name is out there." • Chamber of Commerce President Ann Marchand wondered if the town board was sponsoring a Christmas lighting contest. No one on the board could recall the town ever being involved in the contest, which was formerly sponsored by the chamber, but Marchand said she had a plaque from 2002 indicating the town had done it that year. The board said it had put the matter on the agenda for a future meeting, but also wondered if the chamber wouldn't like to sponsor it again. The town has not had a lighting contest for the last few years, and most seemed to feel it was a little late to make a decision for this year. |
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