The Bruce board of aldermen approved the hiring of Josh Tunnell Tuesday night to replace Jim Gore who retired.
Bruce Mayor Rudy Pope
Tunnell will be responsible for maintenance of Bruce Park, the square and other town facilities and fill in as needed with the public works department.
Park Director Mark Ferguson recommended Tunnell’s hiring to the board and said he and Mayor Rudy Pope interviewed Tunnell. They agreed his first day on the job would be Jan. 12.
In related news, Ferguson said the improvement project at the high school softball field is nearly complete, only lacking the top dressing on the field which they can do when the weather improves.
Ferguson said they would also get the new chips spread on the playground as soon as it dries out.
Marquita Bridges, who lives on East Clay Street, complained about speeders on Clay and McSweyne streets and asked the board to consider installing speed bumps.
She said she has a two-year-old that lives next door and she fears for his safety as fast as traffic “flies up and down the road.”
“We’ve written a bunch of tickets around there trying to tighten it up,” Mayor Rudy Pope said.
He acknowledged he doesn’t like speed bumps but proposed installing stop signs at the intersection of North Murphree and Clay Street to try and help slow the traffic.
The board took the matter under advisement.
Mayor Pope said the sewer improvement project is scheduled to start Monday, Jan. 12. He said they have to do a lot of locating of fiber, water lines and other underground lines before a lot of digging could be done, but it is on schedule.
The board approved a request for Rose Wells to install a sign directing people to the dog shelter recently established by the Dog Lovers’ League near the city lagoon. Mayor Pope said he received permission from Murphree Frame Supply to put the sign on their property.
Mayor Pope reported a bad roof leak at the library. Librarian Emily Sutherland said they had buckets set up to catch all the leaking water.
The board instructed the mayor to contact the installer, Marchbanks of Water Valley, since the roof should still be under warranty.
Alderwoman Ellen Shaw and attorney Jim Beckett were absent.