Dayton Council takes on new look

Monday night, the Dayton City Council met for their regular monthly meeting for May. Council approved the canvassing of the May 7 General Election, and outgoing City Councilwoman Sherial Lawson made her final motion on the council.

New councilmembers Dwight Pruitt and Janette Goulder-Frick and returning councilman John Headrick took their oaths with Dayton Municipal Judge Alan D. Conner officiating.

News broke of a new Wendy’s coming to Dayton during departmental reports when Mayor Caroline Wadzeck asked Director of Development Services Kimberly Judge about the restaurant’s location. Judge informed the council that it would be located on HWY 90 between the new Taco Bell and Hartz locations. More information will be coming on the new Dayton eatery.

Council also moved to reject all bids on the Luke Street Drainage Project due to bids far exceeding the $300,000 allotted for the project. This was the second time council rejected bids for the project, and City Manager Steve Floyd said they plan to rework everything in order to come in at budget.

Council also approved an award and disbursement of funds for an economic development project from the Dayton Community Development Corporation. Those funds come in at just over $1.4 million and will go towards Dayton’s utility and public safety projects.

The bulk of the money will rehabilitate a pair of water towers in the city, while other funding will go toward other public work’s needs.

They will also utilize the funding to purchase three public works vehicles and four new police vehicles.

The DCDC funds are part of the agreement they made with the city to assist with the current budget shortfall.

Finally, the council opted to hold off on naming new appointments to the Housing Authority and DCDC Board of Directors until a later date.