The Jefferson City Council met last night in regular session.

During the open forum, Don Orris with Thomas Jefferson Gardens requested that he either purchase or get donated 6 mini bundles of brick and concrete block to match the rest of the street landscape around the downtown square to finish the outside part of the property on the southeast corner of the square.  He also asked to get the alleyway next to the property repaired due to damage from construction.

Alan Robinson from Jefferson Matters: Main Street told the Council that they have chosen six subjects for the historical plaques to be placed around the business side of the square.

The Council approved the second reading to change an ordinance regarding delinquent water services accounts and paying $10,871.47 to King Construction for purchasing and storing materials that will be used in the water line replacement project that will start this spring.

Mayor Craig Berry passed a proclamation declaring the month of April as Donor Awareness Month on behalf of A Token of Love organizer MeLinda Madison.

The Council also set February 11th’s meeting for a public hearing about a new housing loan program from Region XII Council of Governments.

Jim Daubendiek with Jefferson Telecom requested the Council to reduce or eliminate the franchise fee that every customer of Jefferson Telecom is charged.  Currently, they are charged a 5% rate, which totals $32,000 annually, when satellite cable companies don’t charge a franchise fee and Daubendiek felt that they were being penalized because they are a local company and all other local cable companies in the county don’t charge a franchise fee.  The Council didn’t take action on the issue.

City Clerk Diane Kennedy reported that they started with a -$178,000 deficit in the general fund for the 2013-14 budget, but after some financial maneuvering, they ended with $4,000 in the black.