Council Seeks Signatures for Ballot Propositions

Playground Bids Accepted Pending Grant Funding

BOVINA - Bovina Councilmember Marni Greenberg announced an initiative to get questions regarding tavern operation permits listed as propositions on the November ballot. 

According to Greenberg, results from the town survey indicated an overall interest in full-service restaurants and taverns. A tavern is an establishment that serves alcohol and can also have menus or be a retail establishment. The survey question focused on whether people were interested in changing the alcohol laws. 

Three questions proposed as propositions are should a person be allowed to obtain an alcohol license for operation of a tavern, full-service restaurant, or retail establishment. The questions will appear as three individual questions.

Greenberg is required to obtain 107 signatures from registered voters. She said this is about 25% of all Bovina voters. Signatures need to be collected between August 22. and Sept. 6.

In another discussion, the council approved bids for the playground refurbishing project pending grant awards. Lafever Excavation was awarded the $35,000 bid for excavation over Delaware Buldozing's bid of over $50,000. Only one bid for carpentry was submitted and awarded at $57,500. 

In addition to carpentry and excavation costs the project needs new benches, additional signage, and basketball hoops bringing the total cost to around $100,000, said Councilmember Jillienne LaFever.

The council plans to apply for a grant through the O'Connor Foundation with a maximum of $300,000. The playground was last renovated in 2000.

In other business:

A budget workshop is scheduled Monday, Sept. 16 at 4 p.m.

Monthly bills were paid - $117.32 for lighting, $1,397.32 for water, $13,780.84 for septic, $8,942.01 for highway department costs, and $7,190.63 for general.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.