“I said, while it was bad weather I would give him two weeks to see if the weather broke and he could come down and get it done. If not, we may have to use someone else,” Simmons said.
By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
City of Parsons Administrator Michael Simmons updated the City Council during their recent January 7th meeting on the status of a recent application for alley abandonment and survey projects within the City.
Simmons said he had contacted two homeowners along an alleyway in the City that had applied for abandonment recently to inform them that due to the placement of sewer lines within the alley, the abandonment request could not be approved. “I called an spoke with Amy Canfield and Janette Bishoff and explained to them that our main sewer line ran down their alley and that we would not be able to abandon it,” Simmons said.
According to Simmons, the main concern the homeowners had with the abandonment issue regarded a garage built in the 70s that was constructed partially on the alleyway that they feared the City would require torn down due to the overlap. “They said that their biggest concern, the reason they come there, because someone else in the area had told them they would have to do that because there was two foot of a garage that was built in the 70s on it that we would possibly make them tear down,” Simmons said.
Simmons said that the conversation went well and that all parties were satisfied with the result. “So we spoke, we got everything hashed out,” Simmons said. “Everyone’s on the same page. They’re happy. No issues on that.”
Simmons also said that he had reached out to the City surveyor about the status of several survey projects that are needed by the City. Simmons said that the surveyor had been delaying on a couple of projects of a time sensitive nature. “I spoke with our surveyor, Mr. Heffner,” Simmons said. “He’s been dragging his feet on a couple of projects we have going on.”
Simmons said the surveyor said he preferred not to come out in inclement weather and wanted to wait until Spring to survey the area. “The last time I talked to him was more, I don’t mind coming out, but when its cold, its not favorable for me to come out,” Simmons said.
Simmons said he told the surveyor that there were projects of a time sensitive nature involved and that they would not wait until Spring. Simmons also said he would wait two weeks to see if the weather would break before seeking out someone else to handle the more urgent projects. “Some of these things got a little more time sensitive on them so, I told him, I said, while it was bad weather I would give him two weeks to see if the weather broke and he could come down and get it done,” Simmons said. “If not, we may have to use someone else.”
Simmons said that he informed the Surveyor that if the urgent projects were not completed, the City would seek out another firm to complete the tasks. “I did tell him though if he couldn’t get to these ones that he’s been up to speed on that we’d probably be going somewhere else and we’d revisit him in better weather.”
Council Member Kathy DiBacco asked how long it takes to obtain surveyor’s credentials because it seems the City is in need of a surveyor. Simmons said he did not know. “It seems like we have a need,” DiBacco said. “Somebody needs to do it.”
Simmons equated surveying to any skilled trade in that you simply cannot call up and get instatnt satisfaction. There is often a waiting period and list to contend with. “Surveying is kind of like plumbing,” Simmons said. “You can’t just call and say, hey I need something done.”
Council Member Tim Turner asked about the County’s surveyor. “Does the County still have a surveyor for the County?” Turner asked.
City Treasurer Mistee Griffith said she has reached out to Facebook for help in locating a surveyor for the City. “I did put a post up on Facebook about surveyors,” Griffith said. “So I have a few names off of Facebook.”
Turner acknowledged the difficulty in locating and retaining a surveyor. “It is hard to get surveyors,” Turner said. “I know every county is supposed to have one, but I know a lot of counties don’t.”
Simmons said the County currently does not have a surveyor, like many across the State. “Unfortunately, we don’t right now,” Simmons said.
