The Linden City Council Monday addressed the problem of nutgrass ruining city streets and sidewalks.

Linden Public Works Director Terry Tyson said the water based chemical needed to control the nutgrass would be expensive. Normal oil based chemical would not solve the problem.

The city will have to pay $800 for a minimum order of the chemical needed.

In other action from Monday’s meeting, council members disagreed over the change in an ordinance which would have accessed a $100 annual license fee for check cashing businesses in the city.

Councilmen Howard Walters, Neal Smith and Butch King opposed the change to the ordinance. Therefore, the first reading of the change was withdrawn.

A motion to not amend the ordinance was offered by Linden Mayor Pat Vice and was then approved by the council.

The council did approve the first reading of an amendent to an ordinance allowing unpaved streets in the city limits to be paved without fees being accessed to property owners. The streets will be covered with a tar and rock hard top surface instead of asphalt, Vice said.

Tyson was instructed to work with Marengo County Engineer Ken Atkins to see if the county can help in preparing the base surface of the unpaved roads that will be paved with the tar and rock. Otherwise, Vice said private contractors will be invited to bid on the base work.

Each city councilman will give Tyson a list of streets which need the hard top paving.

Tyson asked the council to give him a priority list for city sidewalk renovation. Bids will be returned July 1 for the renovation, said City Administrator Cheryl Hall. Councilmen Allday and Walters will prepare a priority list.

Tyson also spoke to the council regarding the purchase of a new street sweeper. "What we’ve got ain’t doing the job," Vice said, "and we’re spending a lot on repairs."

There will be a demonstration for council members of a smaller model in the $30,000 range.

The council approved Linden city employees having July 5 as a vacation day.

The Austin Pool will not open because insurance has not been secured by private citizens, said Councilman Neal Jackson. The city closed both public pool some five years ago due to the cost of upkeep, Hall said.

The pool next to the old courthouse was given to the historical society. The city still owns the Austin Pool, but hall said it perviously cost $16,000 a summer to open it.

Speed limit signs have been requested for Country Club Drive, Hall said. The city will post 15 m.p.h. signs there.

The next meeting of the Linden City Council will be on July 1.