Autism Drive, Buddy Poppy sales approved for Main Street

The annual donation events for the Belleville Fire Department’s Autism Boot Drive and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Buddy Poppy sales were unanimously approved by the city council at Monday’s regular meeting.
Fire Fighter Chris Zweng explained that fire fighters will be out at the corner of Main and High streets holding a boot to collect donations from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, and donations will be sent to promote autism awareness.
Cornell Anton said VFW members will be out between the hours of 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. on May 7, 8, and 9 to sell Buddy Poppies at Five Points, the stop light at the Bridge, and Main/High streets.
Anton is Jr. Vice Commander of VFW Post 4434.
He said earlier that day the VFW Honor Guard did two funerals, making the total 612 for this Honor Guard presiding at local veterans’ funerals.
“No veteran is gone until he’s forgotten,” Anton said, explaining that’s why the poppies are sold, to earn money to help veterans.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
• Heard a report from Aimee Page, R.N., on the Senior Alliance’s service to the City of Belleville. For a matching amount of $320, the city’s residents received $332,517.85 in services, with most being the Medicaid Waiver at $166,440. The Senior Alliance is the state and federally funded Area Agency on Aging 1-C based in Wayne. Among many other services it is responsible for Meals on Wheels and Halal Meals on Wheels;
• Removed from the agenda an event planned to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project which was going to be held at Egan’s Pub on April 11, since plans could not be finalized in tine;
• Removed from the agenda a request for a Half Way to St. Patrick’s Day party on the Fourth Street Square on Sept. 12 and next year’s St. Patrick’s Day party on March 17, 2016. The request will be brought back on a future agenda for consideration;
• Approved accounts payable of $184,028.02 and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: to Barrett, $695.75 for road repair; to EJ USA, Inc., $920.32 for main break replacement materials; to Farmer Underwood, $1,146.45 main break back fill; to Hydrocorp, $2,990 for a water cross connection; to Lonnie’s Auto Repair, $515.19 for GMC 2006 truck repair; to Morton Salt, $6,150.52 for road salt; to Quint Plumbing, $950 for sewer cleaning due to water main break; and to SLC, $878.37 to replace damaged frozen water meters and $1,147.75 to replace stock (out);
• Heard Councilwoman Kim Tindall ask about whether the alley between W. Columbia and Davis was being evaluated along with the streets and she was told only Major and Local streets are being evaluated and the alleys are paid for with city funds. A Phase I report is expected on the streets in a few weeks;
• Heard Tindall say about 100 submissions to the Civic Fund Earth Day poster contest will be displayed at the Belleville Road McDonald’s;
• Heard agenda items for the April 20 meeting will include the Strawberry Festival and a new policy on Push-Off Vehicles; and
• Went into closed-door session “to discuss the status and strategy of pending union negotiations” and then adjourned without official action.