By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Oct. 26, 2017) The Berlin Mayor and Council discussed the following items during a meeting at Town Hall, Monday night:

No quorum, then quorum

For the first roughly 20 minutes of the meeting, the council operated unofficially because of the absence of a quorum. Councilmen Dean Burrell and Troy Purnell were expected to be absent, but apparently Councilman Elroy Brittingham was not.

Mayor Gee Williams announced the council would not formally convene a meeting or hold any votes, but he did run through a few less-formal items on the agenda.

When Brittingham arrived, the meeting was officially called to order. Also present were councilmen Thom Gulyas and Zack Tyndall.

Town holidays

A scheduled of holidays and council meetings for 2018 was approved by a unanimous vote, 3-0. The second meeting in December, which would have occurred on Dec. 26, was canceled, leaving 23 meetings on the docket for next year.

The council was also expected to vote to approve a 2018 events schedule, but Economic and Community Development Director Ivy Wells requested a delay.

Notable additions on the proposed scheduled included “Reggae Play Day,” May 11, “Zennafest,” June 16, “Historic July 4 Celebration,” July 3, and “Musical on Main Street” at a date to be announced.

Water main upgrades

The council, after some discussion, unanimously approved a $36,000 design and construction proposal by Davis, Bowen and Friedel Inc. for water main upgrades on Gay Street.

Construction was estimated to cost $250,000. The town budgeted $40,000 for street and sidewalk work on Gay Street and the remaining cost will be taken from the water fund contingency, according to Finance Director Natalie Saleh.

Water Resources and Public Works Director Jane Kreiter said the project is necessary because the existing infrastructure would not meet the demands of new construction such as the required fire-suppression systems on Gay Street.