Malowe on the case

Like the detective that shares his surname, Dan Marlowe decided to do a little investigating. The owner of Carousel Ice Cream told City Council and Mayor Dean Bunkers at Monday night’s meeting that he hears all sorts of things at his shop, and wanted to know if a few of them were true.

First, he asked Bunkers if he was planning to hire an administrative assistant, and if so, how would it be paid with all this budget crisis?

Bunkers answered that he is hoping to hire an assistant, but not until 2010 or 2011, and that the assistant’s salary would be carved out of his own. He stressed that all this would have to be approved by council.

Second, the ice cream detective wanted to know why the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Center couldn’t be combined, as has happened in the past.

Garland French, liaison to the Chamber, said that is one of the items “on the table” for discussion. (Though it was noted that the Chamber is a private entity, not funded by the City.)

Finally, Marlowe waved a letter he had just received, regarding his property on Point Brown Avenue across from the old Fire Station. The letter was an alert to property owners that construction on the Roundabout would begin in July. Marlowe said he read in the newspaper (cough cough) that the City didn’t receive the $800,000 it needed for the Roundabout, so why and how was this going on?

Bunkers answered that the City is moving forward, in hopes that funding for the Roundabout (and sidewalks) will come about.

As Kathy in the back of the room breathed a sigh of relief that her husband had behaved himself, Marlowe thanked the mayor and council for the answers, said he had plenty more questions, and promised to be back.

To be continued . . .