By REID TUCKER
The Paxton Town Council wasted no time at its regularly scheduled March meeting, swiftly returning a unanimous vote to re-up its sludge renewal contract with Green South Solutions.
The company, formally known as Crook Creek Farms, used to have a five-year renewable contract with the city of Paxton, but it has been operating out of the contract on a year-to-year basis since the end of the prior term. The Council’s 5-0 vote to re-establish a five-year contract brings with it some benefits, chiefly the promise of a notice in advance from Green South Solutions should its annual rate go up. However, the first year under the new contract will not see a rate increase over the amount provided for in the Fiscal Year 2015 budget which went into effect at the end of last September.
Another main item on the meeting’s short agenda was a presentation from American Red Cross of Northwest Florida Chief Executive Jerry Kindle. He requested that the Council issue a proclamation in support of the Red Cross’ national and local efforts to provide health and safety services in honor of Red Cross Month, a request the board unanimously approved. Kindle said he had gotten returns on nine of 25 such requests for a proclamation, one each for the jurisdictions under the Red Cross’ northwest Florida branch, which covers all of Florida’s Central Time zone.
Finally, the Council voted to begin the process of advertising for contract labor in preparation for the imminent water system upgrade and renovation project. The advertisement will follow standard posting procedures once the contract is drawn up by the city attorney and reviewed by the Council at its next meeting.
