GENTRY — City council members had a brief meeting on June 4, with two property measures on the agenda.

The council voted unanimously to seek a lien in the amount of $378.66 against property located at 201 N. McKinnon in Gentry. The lien amount was to cover city costs to clean up the property, after the owner - REO Acceptance Corp., LTD, of West Palm Beach, Fla. - failed to mow the grass and weeds and remove tree limbs and brush within the time allotted through legal notice.

The lien amount may be adjusted at the end of the mowing season to pay for additional cleanup at the property, up to $1,000.

The city will seek a first and prior lien so as to collect its costs should the property be sold.

A public hearing was also held on June 4 to determine the lien amount.

The council approved on its first reading an ordinance changing the zoning of Lot 32, Parks Acreage (the lot immediately south of the Wooden Spoon Restaurant) from R-1 to C-2. The change would allow property owners Cam and Jane Klassen, owners of the Wooden Spoon Restaurant, to tear down the house on the property and use it for additional restaurant parking.

Cam Klassen told the council that his intended use, if the property is rezoned for commercial use, would be additional parking and could possibly, in the future, include the construction of abuilding to house a flower shop next door to the restaurant.

The rezoning ordinance will be brought back for a second reading in July.

The council resolved to have Gentry Mayor Kevin Johnston list two surplus vehicles, a 1998 Jeep Cherokee and a 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, on GovDeals, a government surplus auction service.

Department heads introduced three new city employees. Police Chief Keith Smith introduced Edward “Skip” Paczowski, the city’s new animal control and code enforcement officer. David McNair, the city’s public works director, introduced Rick Craftand Brant Smith, hired to work for the Water and Wastewater Department and the Street and Alley Department, respectively.

McNair also told the council that the street paving project had been completed on budget. Striping has since been completed.

News, Pages 3 on 06/20/2012