City Sidewalk Repair Funds.

The Budget/Ways and Means Committee discussed the request for $70,000 to repair City owned sidewalks during last Monday’s Budget Hearing meeting. Also included in that estimate are sidewalks on CW&EP property, McCune Brooks Hospital property, and Parks and Recreation Department property.

According to the discussion, CW&EP and McCune Brooks have been approached about paying for their own repairs. The Park Department has offered to supply labor to remove old sidewalks on their own property, but has not budgeted any funds for replacement. It is estimated that $40,000 of the total would be required for the Park system. Committee member Mike Harris, who was the Park Board Council liaison last year, questioned whether all sidewalks in the park system should be replaced. He also feels that a sidewalk should be added on the north side of Central Park.

The Committee agreed to lower the budgeted amount by the $8,000 to be paid by CW&EP and the Hospital. The resulting $62,000 would be used to pay for City and Park sidewalk replacement.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

From all indications, it appears that the only major question left for the Budget Committee this year is whether the Library and Park Board should receive a portion of the State Merchants and Manufacturing tax. The tax looks to be some sort of inventory tax that no one seems really sure where it comes from. The County receives the funds and pays it out to the various communities. It is the contention of the Library Board that they have a Missouri constitutional right to some of the money. It amounts to about $26,000 so there is some tension when the possibility of withdrawin’ the payment is discussed by the City.

The City is tryin’ to get some info together so there can be a decision made. The Budget meetin’ Monday is supposed ta get it all figured out, maybe.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray:

I live right in New York. I've got a 1977 Ford Pinto Wagon that came from Florida. It's in very good shape (ugly green, though). To me it's worth fixing, but to a limit. Right now I'm driving it with no power steering. The rack is leaking, and possibly the pump and lines. I want to switch to manual steering. Will the steering column fit, or will it need to be replaced? - Don

TOM: What a perfect car for New York City! You should nominate this car for "official vehicle of the Big Apple," Don. Why? What car could possibly be any less desirable to thieves?

RAY: Well, several of my brother's cars come to mind. But the answer is that you ought to be able to switch to non-power steering pretty easily. You'll need a new steering rack, and I'd look first for one in a junk yard.

TOM: Most people don't realize that steering a car with broken power steering is a lot harder than steering a car that never had power steering to begin with. That's because, even when the power steering isn't working, you still have to move all the power steering-related valves and components in the rack, which is hard to do!

RAY: Once you get a manual rack for this car, you can just leave all the other power steering stuff in there and disconnect it (the pump, the lines, etc.). And then you can implement a slightly less intensive Pinto Urban Upper Body Building Program. Good luck, Don.

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