The roof of the Carthage Fire Department was the first topic of discussion. The roof is 22 years old and has started to leak.

"This is an unplanned, un-budgeted problem" explained Fire Chief Cooper "which needs to be taken care of but not immediately. We can probably wait till’ July if we have to It’s just now starting to drip"

Cooper is doing some research on different types of roofing material and estimates the price for a new roof will be around $19,000.

Police Chief Veach announced that it is time to apply for the Local Law Enforcement Block Grant. Up to $10,000 can be requested to spend on equipment that is officer safety oriented. This year’s proposal only asked for only $7,650 worth of equipment.

"We have done really well over the last couple of years," said Veach "I think its a good idea not to ask for ten thousand for a change."

Rezoning Request Continued.

Jim Williams is the owner of William’s Auto-Sport and the property at 906-910 Garrison. He has requested permission to demolish the house at 906 Garrison which last June was destroyed by fire. He wants to use the property to extend the parking lot of his used car business located 910 Garrison. This would require the property to be rezoned to local business from the current zoning of C Apartment.

Williams is also wanting to rezone the property his existing business occupies because it currently operates under a nonconforming exception. This due to the fact that when the city established zoning ordinances in the early fifties the property was an operating business and was "grandfathered." This allows the property to be used for a business as long as the business is active.

Recent discussions during a meeting of the Planning, Zoning, and Historic Preservation Commission and the City Council have raised questions about the rezoning request..

"They brought up two problems at the council meeting," said Williams "One is spot zoning. I am 100 feet from Southwest Heating and Air and Knell Mortuary which are both zoned for business. The two houses in between me and those business are not complaining."

The second problem is that when the property is rezoned it will stay rezoned even after William’s Auto Sport is gone. This means anyone who meets the requirements for that zone can start a business.

" They have been operating business in here for I know, I got it carved right here in my parking lot in the concert, May of 1921," expressed Williams "somebody was doing business here long before I come along.

"I’m not asking for rezoning on Grand Ave. where we have some of the most beautiful historic homes in all the land, I’m talking about Garrison Ave. which at one time was the main Highway through town."

Williams has been doing business for over 10 years. He has owned his property for 20 years. Before he owned his used car lot it was a gas station where Williams remembers buying gas there for thirty two cents a gallon.

"I am not a transfer. I was born in Carthage and I’ve lived all my life here and I deserve the best opportunity to operate my business and support my family here," said Williams.

Williams says he sent out a letter to all of his neighbors with in 180 feet of him

"All my neighbors have spoken. They spoke in silence. I have not had one neighbor call in or complain or show up at the meetings."

A Final decision is secluded for the council meeting on the 28th at 7:30 in City Hall. Williams says he will be there and speak to the council.

Ever keep bumpin’ into the same person over and over again? I don’t mean a friend or acquaintance, but a complete stranger.

Sometimes it’s out on the interstate. Ya pass a car and later in the trip, ya pull out from gettin’ gas and there that same car is.

It happens in the grocery store some too. Ya stop and let someone pass by, and a couple a rows down, ya almost run into ‘em for the second or third time.

It just seems that two random folks are for some reason on the same wave link or somethin’. The only way I’ve found to get around the situation is to break the rhythm of whatever it is you’re doin’. Pull off the side of the road for a few minutes, or stop and get a can a pop. There are some things ya just can’t fight.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click & Clack
TALK CARS

by Tom & Ray Magliozzi

Dear Tom & Ray:

I recently had new plugs and wires installed in my ‘93 Chevy Cavalier V-6. After about 2,000 miles, I was driving home from my local grocery store when the car started making a horrible noise, followed by running extremely roughly and a loss of power. I finished driving the less than 1 mile to my house. When I opened the hood I found that one of the spark plugs had come COMPLETELY out of the engine. It was still attached to the wire. The plug appeared dry, but there is a black ring around the white coating at the top half of the plug. I need to know what kind of damage this might have done to my engine. — Darrell

RAY: Probably none, Darrell. But I bet it scared the hell out of you, huh?

TOM: Here’s what happened. You had the spark plugs replaced, and the mechanic forgot to tighten one of them down completely. He left it "hand-tight."

RAY: Then, as the engine ran and vibrated, the plug slowly unscrewed itself. When it was most of the way out, carbon from the cylinder was blowing past it, which is what left that dark ring. If you could have heard the exhaust escaping over all the other noises your engine makes, you would have heard a "pffft, pffft, pffft," or a "tick, tick, tick" sound at that point.

TOM: Finally, the plug unscrewed itself the rest of the way and popped out of its hole. That’s when it got real loud! And what you were hearing was compressed air trying to escape through the spark-plug hole.

RAY: I sounds like a "Gatling gun."

TOM: But most likely, there was no damage done. And all you have to do is screw the spark plug back in and go on your merry way.