Weaver Council approves loan for long term projects

The Weaver City Council Tuesday voted to move forward with a plan to borrow $815,000 to finance several long-term projects, including paving Jacksonville Street for an estimated $200,000, getting matching grant funds for improvements to the city’s park and buying equipment for the Public Works Department.  The estimated annual payments on the loan would be about $73,000 for 15 years.  Mayor Wayne Willis had initially sought a $500,000 loan  thinking that the  council members would try to talk the number down,.  The $300,000 increase mostly came from the suggestion of Councilman Jeff Clendenning, who said the extra money was necessary to buy Public Works equipment, including a new backhoe and a vehicle to cut tree limbs on the Chief Ladiga Trail.  There are concerns from several council members over projected revenue from two businesses that haven’t even opened yet. Although both the Classic at Buckhorn restaurant and Discount Foods grocery store were scheduled to open earlier in the fall, unforeseen construction problems delayed both projects. Gary Angel, the developer of Buckhorn and the new Classic restaurant, said he hopes to be open before Thanksgiving, but still needs kitchen appliances, plumbing and the proper permits before he can get started.  There’s currently no set date for the opening of Discount Foods near downtown weaver.