LANDIS — The Landis Board of Aldermen approved a request to lower the ceiling in the fire chief’s office during its regularly-scheduled meeting on Monday. 

The project consists of placing a lower-ceiling in the office space with the intention of improving the heating and cooling of the office. Fire Chief Jason Smith said that the modification to the facility would grant him and others better control over the HVAC system in that area. 

“This would also consist of a drywall ceiling with lighting and the relocation of one exit sign to remain code compliant,” a memo from the fire chief to the board said. “During hot weather in the summer, the temperatures in the office area reach the mid-80s due to the inability of the cooling system to cool the entire tower space. A lowered ceiling will allow the HVAC system to be more effective.”

Smith said the fire department received two bids for the project. The bids were from Carolina Construction Entities for $4,785 and LeFave’s Construction for $8,300.

“I make the recommendation to award the bid to Carolina Construction entities due to cost effectiveness and experience with the contractor,” Smith said. 

During the meeting the board also made multiple decisions related to the D.C. and Frances Linn Park, first opting to set aside $5,000 for the groundbreaking ceremony and second settling the discussion about memorial benches to be sold as fundraisers.

The money for the groundbreaking ceremony will be allocated as follows: catering, $2,000; chair/table rental delivery and set-up, $400; staging delivery and set-up, $400; decor, plants, flowers, linens, $250; tents, $500; signage and banners, $250; shovels and hard hats, $300; keepsake plaque, $75; and special guest invitations, $100. 

According to parks and recreation director Jessica St. Martin, who is also on the park committee, the cost estimates were based on the highest quoted amounts received, to ensure a comfortable margin to accommodate event needs. The above listed items total less than $5,000 as well ($4,275), allowing for additional flexibility. 

“While we are confident that the total expenses will stay well under budget, requesting this amount ensures we are adequately prepared without exceeding our financial means,” a memo from St. Martin to the board said. 

As for the park benches, when the D.C. and Francis Linn Community Park planning committee met last month, its members discussed the design style for benches that would be placed throughout the area. 

The two bench styles that the committee discussed were called the Georgetown and the Waldorf. The Georgetown benches have slats that are made of recycled plastic and are described as long-lasting and maintenance-free. The frames are cast iron and powder-coated in black or white. It features a contoured style and comes with multiple armrests to divide seating space. Its most prominent design feature is scroll-style artwork.  

The Waldorf benches have broad high-arching armrests and are made from aluminum frames.   

“Both come with a center bar that has been part of the discussion of what we want,” said St. Martin said at the time. 

After an extended discussion on Monday, the board of aldermen opted for the Waldorf style benches based on concerns about Georgetown’s longevity and also a preference for the former’s aesthetics. 

In other Landis news…

• The board approved a request from Fire Chief Jason Smith to lower the reserve bid on a 1998 Freightliner FL80 Fire Engine from $30,000 to $25,000. “We have listed the Freightliner eight times on GovDeals with no results yet, so we would like to lower the reserve,” Smith said.
• The board approved the purchase of a new 60-inch lawnmower for the public works department. Public Works Director Blake Abernathy said they would keep the old mowers in use, including a 72-inch mower that would be used for larger operations and code enforcement projects.