Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BUCHANAN — Last week’s election for two Buchanan City Commission seats didn’t change the commission’s composition any as incumbents Larry Money and Patrick Swem won re-election to new four-year terms.

Tuesday’s City Commission meeting featured City Clerk Kalla Langston swearing in both to their new terms as well as the election of the mayor and mayor pro-tem by the five commissioners. Money and Swem won a six-way race for the two commission seats, garnering more votes than Lorilie Holmes, Tony Houser, Scott King and Angela Lowery.

Mark Weedon had been serving as interim mayor since Sean Denison’s resignation in August and was elected mayor Tuesday. Swem was elected mayor pro-tem in a vote by fellow commissioners and it is the first time he has held that position. Weedon had been mayor pro tem before becoming mayor.

Tuesday’s meeting also featured action on one of two infrastructure projects. City Manager Tim Lynch spoke about both projects, recommending the commission rebid the Front Street retaining wall project and move forward with making structural repairs to the McCoy Creek culvert on Days Avenue.

The commission had postponed action on the retaining wall when only two bids were received and the high bidder was the only who would commit to finish the work by Dec. 20. Lynch said Tuesday that he believes the city will get more bids if the deadline is extended to next June.

On the McCoy Creek culvert project to repair the culvert and the sink hole on Days Avenue, commissioners heard from Lynch and Abonmarche engineer Mike Morphey before voting to accept the only bid from Riverworks Construction of Holland for $702,230 to do the work.

Lynch said that eight to 10 bid packages were sent out with only Riverworks submitting a bid. He and Morphey recommended going forward with the bid even though it was the only one because it was in line with the estimates for the project.

When asked about the lack of bidders, Morphey said that there is plenty of work available and contractors have their choice of what projects they want to do. He added that this project is a little different than most as it involves the creek running underneath. He did say that the city has been working closely with state environmental officials on the project.

Lynch also reassured city residents about a letter sent out last week concerning lead pipe water service line replacement. He said he and other city staff had received numerous calls about the letter which he described as a standardized letter the state is requiring municipalities to send out by Nov. 15.

He reiterated that the city’s water is safe and is regularly tested for lead. He said that the most recent lead testing has found that city water had lead levels measured between zero and three parts per billion. The state’s lead action level is 15 parts per billion.

He noted that the city has received a $558,000 grant to identify the composition of all water lines in the city and he said the city is applying for more grants to actually inspect water lines in the city and then remove lead lines.

Commissioners went into closed session to review city manager candidates. After the hour-long closed session, commissioners agreed to interview five people who were identified only by numbers. The first round of interviews will be Friday, Nov. 22 starting at 10 a.m. with a possible second round of interviews held on Nov. 25.

In board appointments, Commissioner Dan Vigansky was appointed to the planning commission and zoning board of appeals, Money and Swem to the joint water/sewer board, Commissioner Raquell George to the Buchanan Area Recreation Board, Swem to the landfill board and finance committee, Money to the Board of Review, cemetery board and SMCAS board.

Vigansky and George will also serve as the city’s representatives on a soon to be formed downtown business organization.