City talks Halloween
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As Halloween creeps closer, the Chrisman City Council discussed the celebration plans with Lucas Knight. Knight handed out flyers for those in attendance to look over for the Second Annual Chrisman Halloween Happenings.
Plans include the Halloween parade beginning at 4:00 p.m on Saturday, October 29th with participants lining up in front of the old State Bank. Everyone is welcome including bikes, golf carts and ATV’s. The Chrisman Area Community Club’s Costume Contest will begin after the parade in City Park.
The Junior Class will be hosting a ‘Ghouls and Goblins’ food tent that will be serving hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork, nachos, pretzels, chili, chips, drinks and much more. “Because it’s only a one day event, we don’t have to have a food permit,” Knight said. This will take place from 4:00 p.m. To 8:00 p.m.
At 5:00 p.m., judging will take place for the pumpkin carving contest. Participants are asked to bring their already carved pumpkins to the gazebo at 4:30 p.m. There will be three places for each division. Those divisions include ‘scariest’ and ‘most original’.
Trick or Treat hours will be from 5:00 p.m. To 8:00 p.m. Trunk or Treat on the west side of the square will take place at this time as well.
“The only concern is trick or treat is overlapping. The only thing I say to that is we did it last year at the same time and it was great,” Knight said. “Trunk or treat, we only have like ten or twelve vehicles. It doesn’t take thirty minutes to get through them.”
The children will still have around two and a half hours to get to houses for candy. Knight mentioned that trick or treat wasn’t the same as when he was a kid – when you went to every single house. “Now, we don’t know everyone anymore, it’s different and that’s how trunk or treat came about.”
Last year, Knight Insurance hosted a free meal, serving three hundred and seventy-five people during the event. “It brings a lot of people in town, it was very impressive,” Knight said. “It worked out so well last year and we’re excited about this year.”
Scare on the Square, located above the Chrisman Public Library will begin at 6:00 p.m., with the non-scary tour, followed by the full scare beginning at 7:00 p.m. The cost will be three dollars for anyone fifteen and younger, then five dollars for sixteen and older.
In another matter, Chrisman residents Theresa and Michael Jordan were in attendance to ask about the culvert being repaired.
Commissioner Thad Crispin stated that the city is backed up and short handed and the matter would be taken care of as soon as possible.
“We’ll get to them when we can,” Crispin said.
Jordan also mentioned that recently himself and his wife purchased the property behind the city building and began clearing out the brush.
“We started cleaning up the railroad track and now all of a sudden, we have camouflage side by sides that use that as an access road at the end of Jefferson Avenue,” Michael Jordan said. “We brought it up with Tom Dolan, but he also informed us that it was city property and railroad property, but if that side by side flips over on my property, I shouldn’t have to carry extra insurance to cover it.”
Commissioner Bryan Haddix stated that the railroad company does not want the side by side on the tracks and they are trespassing on Federal Property.
“The railroad is governed by federal railroad police,” Haddix said. “If you have a problem, go to them.”
Theresa Jordan mentioned that they have put private property signs at the edge of their property line. The city’s line stops at the end of the road and goes up the easement.
The Jordan’s have followed what Chief Dolan has recommended and plan to put signs on the other side of the green building.
“It was to keep people from driving through on the back side of that barn,” Theresa said. “We haven’t had an issue since we brought it up and that was at Chrisman Days.”
Sabrina Boyer, representing the Chrisman FCCLA also attended the meeting. Boyer wanted to get the FCCLA’s name out there and also extended their help if the city was in need of volunteers.
“Leave your information here with the girls and we’ll see what we can do insurance wise, legal wise and what you are able to do,” said Mayor Danny Owen.
Commissioner Bryan Haddix recently received a bid from FSG Painters about repairs to Epps Building. The bid came to $19,500. “I know Rodney (Wolfe) had checked with the people that painted the water tower and they won’t touch it,” Haddix said.
Commissioner Thad Crispin made a motion to hire Anthony Wilson as part time help for the city. “He’s looking for part time work here in town. He’s ready to work,” Crispin said. The council approved to hire Wilson.
Crispin had also spoken with the engineer about repairs to the storm drain behind the Humrichous residence. The blockage has caused issues for the surrounding homes with both yards and basements flooding if heavy rains move through the area.
“He’s wanting to put a stick pipe each way, plus a manhole, so we have easier access in that alley,” Crispin said. “In the process, they’re going to back out a minimum of one hundred and fifty feet just to clear it up.” Once completed, the area will be seeded and mulched. Crispin will be sending out bid notices for the project.
Commissioner Haddix stated that he’s had residents approach him about school employees parking along Monroe Street. With harvest, this makes the area unsafe for those in bigger trucks to get through.
“We can’t keep those guys from coming through town,” Haddix said. “I drove up there and two cars were parked there. There was room in the parking lot for them.”
Haddix stated that he didn’t have a problem with children being dropped off, then the cars move along, but sitting there all day is causing issues.
Mayor Owen suggested calling the school and telling them to not have the employees park on Monroe. “I’ll have the girls call them tomorrow,” Mayor Owen said.
In another matter, Commissioner Crispin was approached by a citizen who offered funds to put a handrail on the stage in the City Park. “I’m working on getting a quote,” Crispin said. “There was older people going up there quite a bit, so a handrail makes sense.”
Crispin had a concern if he had to mount it to the concrete steps that it would narrow the walkways, but will iron out the details at a later time.
The bandstand does need a lot of work, including the slab itself.
The lift station project on Washington has begun.
Commissioner Haddix said that some of the structures have been set and pipes are to be installed next. Due to the wait, the construction company has moved onto another project, but will come back once the pipes arrive.
Though it’s not quite Halloween yet, Haddix stated that someone will be asking soon about hanging Christmas lights.
“We need to make arrangements for a lift of some sort because we can’t get to the top of the poles with what we have.”
Commissioner Cory Chaney said that he would be in contact with Paris to see if they would help again with lights this year.
