By DAVE SCHULTZ
MARKLE — The partial retirement of the town’s superintendent, a change in the speed limit on Novae Drive, a planned requirement for garage sale permits, and a look ahead to potential problems during a solar eclipse on April 8 were topics of discussion during the Markle Town Council meeting Thursday night.
Rick Asher has served as the town’s superintendent for 40 years, and the emotion showed in his voice. After he talked about some other town business, he said, “This is the hard part.”
He then said that he had put in for his pension and asked the council members — Matthew Doss, Nick Lund, and Blake Caley — for permission to work on a part-time basis.
“Instead of coming in and telling the guys we have to do something,” Asher said, “I want to just ask them ‘Do you need me today?’ If they don’t, then I’ll go home.”
The board approved Asher’s request for part-time employment and expressed its thanks for the work he has done and for his willingness to continue to work on an as-needed basis.
“It’s time to turn things over,” Asher said, adding, “I’ve seen a lot of good changes.”
“We honor what you’ve done for the town,” Doss said.
In other business:
• Town Marshal John Markley asked the council to lower the speed limit on the Novae Parkway from Asher Drive to the town’s north limits. The speed limit there has been 55 mph since the thoroughfare was annexed to the town and Markley asked to knock it down to 35. The board members approved the measure after suspending the rules and passing it on both readings Thursday night.
• A measure sought by the town to require permits for garage sales will be considered by the council at an upcoming meeting. Since the measure involves the charging of fees, the rules can’t be suspended. The proposed permit fee will be $3 per sale with a maximum of five sales per year. While no permits will be required during the community’s spring and fall townwide garage sales, they will count against the maximum of five sales per year.
• A total eclipse of the sun is expected to cut across America’s midsection on April 8, and Markle is on the northern edge of the 100 percent blockage. That’s expected to bring an influx of short-term visitors into the town; as Caley put it, “We’ll have people spending a day and a half setting up and getting out of town in 30 minutes.” A plan is already in place to have a gathering at the Markle Fish and Game Club Park with the title “A Total Eclipse of the Park.”
• Two letters were read by Doss from individual complaining about dogs running loose in town, but Markley believes them to be bogus. Both letters were “signed” by people who apparently don’t exist, Markley said, and the town resident who was the subject of one of the letters doesn’t even own a pet.
• Mike Grant, the town’s assistant superintendent, reported that the campaign to raise funds for the park is close to completion. The council approved adding $7,500 to the $2,500 it had already granted to the project.
• Asher said the town started picking up leaves a couple of weeks ago and asked residents to place them on the sidewalk. “Please be patient with us,” he said. “We will pick up your leaves.”
• Trick-or-treating hours in Markle will be 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31.
daves@news-banner.com
