The Public Services will move the question of whether or not to continue the use of Memorial Hall as a storm shelter to the Council. The question came out of committee with no recommendation due to a 2-2 vote. Committee member Jackie Boyer made the motion to discontinue the use as a storm shelter with member Larry Ross voting for. Committee Chair J.D. Whitledge and member Don Stearnes voted against.

City Administrator Tom Short advised the Committee that since the Civil Defense headquarters moved out of Memorial Hall, it has been difficult to keep supervisory personnel at the Hall during threatening weather. He also advised of possible liability issues.

The Committee also opened discussion about the possibility of the rest rooms in City Hall being made available on some Saturdays. Reports of problems with the sewer system prompted the Committee to ask Short to investigate the problem and report back to the Committee before any other action would be considered.

The Committee also voted to recommend an agreement with the Carthage R-9 Schools for use of City park facilities.

Accordin’ to Parks Administrator Alan Bull, there is a real effort bein’ made to have at least one softball field up and goin’ by the first part of August. ‘Course that time table depends on favorable weather and other non controllables.

The contract on the multipurpose buildin’ (concession stand) was let the first of May with a 120 day deadline for completion. The company hasn’t started yet, but there is 90 days left.

The Public Services Committee say their first big bill come through the other night, just over $100,000. A good chunk of that is the lights for all the fields. Looks like the million plus awarded for the project by the Steadley Foundation is bein’ put to use.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing Services

PRIME TIME WITH KIDS

by Donna Erickson

Catch the wind with this simple, colorful windsock you’ll enjoy making with your children.

The bits and pieces for this activity use easy-to-find materials, ideal for that recycling project your kids may be doing at school.

You’ll need a plastic margarine tub with lid, plastic shopping bags in a variety of colors from apparel and grocery stores, 18-inch-length of string, glue and scissors.

Let your school-age child make streamers by cutting the plastic bags into five strips about 1 inch wide and 2 feet long.

Meanwhile, an adult should cut the center out of the lid, leaving the outer ring. Then cut the bottom out of the margarine tub. (An X-Acto knife works best. Please keep away from children’s reach.)

Set the tub upright on a table. Lay one end of each streamer over the rim of the tub so the streamers hang down around the outside of the tub.

Carefully snap the lid over the rim of the tub to hold the streamers in place. Tuck two ends of the string under the lid to form a hanger. (For durability, squeeze glue around the lid before finally snapping it to the rim, if you wish.)

Hang your windsock outside. On a windy day, you’ll see which way the wind is blowing by the direction the streamers move.