Council Looks At A Budget.

The City Council is scheduled to meet for their bi-monthly meeting tomorrow evening at 7 in City Hall.

The Council is scheduled to hear the first reading of Council bill 03-05 that would authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with the Carthage Convention and Visitors Bureau for the purpose of marketing and promoting the City of Catthage as a destination to visitors in an amount not to exceed $168,000.

Also included on the agenda is Council bill 03-37 which would authorize utility rate changes for water, electric, and wastewater services as recommended by the Carthage Water & Electric Board. The Board has recommended a 15% increase in the electric rate. The last rate increase was approximately eight years ago.

The Council is also scheduled to hear the first reading of the annual operating and capital budget for the fiscal year 2003-2004. The City’s fiscal year begins July 1.

In old business, the Council is scheduled to vote on a contract with Fireworks Spectacular in the amount of $15,000, and a contract with the Carthage Humane Society.

A farmer I used ta work for while I was in high school always told me that if ya see turtles on the road it means it’s gonna rain. Said they could sense the comin’ weather and headed for higher ground. I never was convinced completely, but I always try to remember when I see the creatures ploddin’ on the roadways.

I always look in the rearview mirror when I pass over turtles with the car. Some pull their head in and just wait, other just keep wigglin’ along like nothin’ happened. I can’t imagine what a turtle must be thinkin’ when vehicle whizzes over ‘em. Maybe they figure it was one a those quick thunder storms movin’ through, or a giant crash of thunder. You’d think the hot pavement would stick to their little feet as long as they take ta get on the other side. Maybe they’re just hopin’ for rain.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Carthage Printing

THIS IS A HAMMER

By Samantha Mazzotta

Q: The interior walls of my basement are coated with a hard white film. When I rub it, the film seems dusty but doesn’t really come off. What is it, and how do I stop it from appearing? — Jane L., Scranton, Pa.

A: What’s afflicting your basement walls is called efflorescence, the result of minerals in concrete, brick or block surfaces leeching through to the surface. This problem is often seen in damp areas (like your basement), especially when waterproofing materials are not in use (or have deteriorated).

Fixing and preventing the efflorescence is relatively easy, but I recommend that you thoroughly inspect your basement and foundation for water damage, cracks and other entry points for water.

Clean efflorescence off the basement walls by scrubbing them with a wire brush. Use a household cleaner if the buildup is fairly heavy. A drill with a wire-wheel attachment can be used to clean the mortar joints between bricks or concrete blocks. Rinse the wall thoroughly.

Once the walls have dried, apply masonry primer using a stiff-bristled paintbrush. This water-resistant application seals the concrete and helps the next coat — masonry paint — adhere correctly. Masonry paint is designed specifically to prevent moisture from seeping through the walls. These materials are all available at your home-improvement or hardware store.

Check the rest of the basement for water seepage or outright leaks, and check the home’s foundation as well, including the outside of the house. One of the biggest causes of damp or wet basements is water pooling near the foundation. The reason for this pooling could be plugged roof gutters and downspouts, poorly graded soil around the foundation, or (in the winter) frozen pipes that have burst. Clean out roof gutters and check downspouts twice a year to prevent blockages. If water doesn’t drain away from the house, regrade the soil around the foundation so that it slopes away.

Walls exposed to constant moisture will eventually develop cracks and begin to crumble, so work to prevent this from occurring by stopping common sources of leaks.