WELCOME– The Welcome City Council met Tuesday evening at the Welcome City Hall. The Fox Lake Conservation Club Charitable Gambling year-end report was given by Chris and Kim Eisenmenger. They reported that the club’s charitable donations were about $20,000 last year. Most of the donations went to MCW school requests from several clubs and special events or projects, the Welcome Fire Department and the Summer Festival in Welcome.

The council asked if there would be some monies for the Park Dept. for changing the tennis courts to basketball and zipline at the park. The Club reminded the council to make a request in writing with a plan of what they would use the money for. Some larger donations must have State approval and some take two or more months to approve. The council thanked the Club for the monies given to the area and community and for their report.

Moving to other matters, the council had interviewed several people for the new Public Works Employee position and approved hiring David Bach. He will need to do several things before he can actually do work for the city and will begin as soon as he can. The Pig in the City Park as part of the Martin County Hog Wild project was discussed and the artist, Nancy Katzer, would like to get started on the painting. The council discussed getting design ideas of former businesses from the Welcome Museum and also discussed the old water tower as a subject. The artist will be contacted so the painting can begin.

Public Works employee, Max Longley, reported that the sampler at the Wastewater Plant needs repair or replacing. The council asked him to bring prices for both ideas. He reported that there are about 130 new water meters to be installed yet. He has a plan to work on them.

The next Welcome City Council meeting will be 5 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. on Feb. 1 to include the public hearing about the $100,000 USDA grant needed for the new rescue truck for the City fire department. Some of the council members are part of the Task Force looking into the old Welcome School Building and they reported that they will have a community meeting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Welcome Legion Hall.