Valley deals with post-storm roads, supports Day of Prayer

VALLEY — At its Monday meeting, the Valley City Council dealt with recent rain-related issues. Storms that have moved through the city over the past few days have brought down trees and have damaged city streets and driveways.

Public Works Director Patrick Bolt told the council that his department had been very busy on Monday. “We have had a lot of limbs and some trees come down,” he said. “We’ve gotten a lot of calls seeking help. We’d like for people to be patient on this. We will need 24 to 36 hours to get caught up.”

“We got a lot of rain last night and more is in the forecast for this week,” Mayor Leonard Riley said. “I called Patrick early this morning for an update. We’re asking the public to bear with us on this.”

Council Member Jim Clark told Bolt that he appreciated what his department had done in taking care of some downed trees and damaged streets in his district.

River Road resident Stephanie Stewart asked to be on the agenda to speak to the council about a drainage-related issue near her home. “I can’t get to my home in my car right now,” she said. “I have to park in someone else’s yard and walk to my house.”

A video she had captured on her cell phone was displayed on the big screen TVs in the council chamber to get across what she was talking about. “The rain has washed out my driveway, and I can’t get in,” she said. “The water is coming across Church Street and into my yard. Some nearby yards have been badly flooded.”

Bolt said he would go to her home Tuesday morning to see what could be done.

An action that was taken at the meeting, the first reading of an ordinance was held to set a 35 mph speed limit on Burney Road, a new street off Fob James Drive on city-owned property. The ordinance could be approved following a second reading at the next council meeting on Monday, August 12th.

A four-item consent agenda was approved. These items included a budget amendment in the amount of $400,000. This is a commercial incentive the city offered Chick-fil-A to locate here. Work is fast progressing at the site across from The Bowlin’ Alley and could be open by December.

The consent agenda also included the declarations of public nuisances and authorizations to clean up sites on GI Street in River View and on Patton Hill in Fairfax. Code Enforcement Officer Reid Riley displayed videos of both sites and explained why the clean ups were needed. He said that in both situations letters were sent to the property owner giving them 45 days to clean up the site on their own. Notices were also posted on the sites. Riley said that the house on GI Street was not in bad shape structurally but did have electrical and sewage problems and that’s why a previous tenant had moved out. He said he’d talked to the property owner about the situation and had been told it was best for the city to take it down.

The house on Patton Hill was a different situation. Riley said it was not in good structural condition at all and that its roof was well beyond repair. “The owner understands that it will have to come down,” Riley said. “We’re giving him 30 days to remove any items he wants to.”

The council approved a proclamation recognizing the upcoming Chambers County Day of Prayer, to be held on Friday evening, August 2nd on the east side of the courthouse in LaFayette. This will mark the 23rd consecutive year a Day of Prayer has taken place just outside the courthouse. Organizer Diane Perry sees it as an ideal time to pray for the safety of school children, teachers, school support staff and parents at the start of a new school year. School supplies are given away to school age children who are present at the service.

“We are encouraging everyone from Chambers County to come out and help us pray,” said Day of Prayer Committee member Reginald Dunn in accepting the proclamation. “We appreciate the support we have gotten over the years from the county and its cities.”

Valley Parks & Recreation Director Laurie Blount said that fall registration is under way for such youth sports as football, soccer and cheerleading. VPR’s state champion 10&under team will start play on Thursday in the 2024 DYB World Series, which will be taking place in Bossier City, Louisiana. VPR will have a good continent of swimmers going to the state meet to be held in Opelika. A total of 24 of them have qualified to participate.

The council will be having a work session at 6 p.m. EDT on Thursday, August 6th.

VALLEY BACKS THE DAY OF PRAYER — The City of Valley has approved a proclamation backing the annual Chambers County Day of Prayer, which will be taking place just outside the courthouse in LaFayette on Friday evening, August 2nd. Above, Council Member Marquetta Madden (at right) reads aloud a copy of the proclamation before giving it to Day of Prayer Committee member Reginald Dunn, who was accompanied by family members Katina Dunn and Barbara Dunn.

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