This speed bump on Belmont Street in Hundred was the object of a negative petition presented to town council Monday. (Photo by Amy Witschey)

Despite a petition requesting the removal of a speed bump on Belmont Street, Hundred Town Council decided to keep the traffic control device with the condition that they research to make sure it is done legally and removed in the winter months.

Shirley Greathouse, a resident of the Belmont Street area, presented the petition with 36 signatures to council Monday, saying they all want the speed bump removed. “Nobody’s been killed yet as I know of,” said Greathouse. “Does anyone know why it was put there anyway?”

Councilwoman Johanna Lemasters said it was requested by people with children in the area.

Bill Lemley wondered if the speed bump was legal. Recorder Sherry Hayes responded that it is a standard, manufactured speed bump. Lemley thought there needed to be some signage warning drivers of the bump. Council said they would check into any legal requirements.

Hayes said the city has installed two speed bumps recently. The one on Cleveland Street has received nothing but praise, but the one on Belmont Street is viewed negatively.

“If they don’t want it, I would take it up by my house,” said Lemasters.

“I think the speed bump is a good thing,” declared Councilman Josh Cecil before council voted to keep the devices in place.

Mayor Charles Sine said he has sent letters requiring property maintenance on two properties–the former hotel and a house with a dangerous sidewalk on Cleveland Street. He said they will have 15 days to respond.

In another property matter, the former Hundred Grade School property will be auctioned by Sine on Saturday, 10 a.m., at the municipal building. A minimum must be met for the property to be sold.

Hayes told council she has worked for the city for 10 years and requested her third week of annual vacation as called for by the city’s employment regulations. Her request was approved.

Council also agreed to put Cecil on the signature card at the bank for the city’s financial transactions. He will replace former councilman Phil Lightner in that capacity. Sine and Hayes are the other two people on record with the bank.

Hayes told council she sent audit proposals to 15 Certified Public Accountants, but expects to get rejections from all. She said the state only requires the city to pay $2,000 per year for audits and no CPA wants to do the job for that amount, particularly because it includes auditing the city-owned volunteer fire department, creating more work for the auditors. The city has not been audited since 2008 for that very reason. What Hayes said will happen eventually is that the state will eventually come in and do the audit, going back to the previous audit year, for the prescribed cost.

Lemasters explained that the HVFD had been charged $8,000 for an audit. After that the state auditor promised that situation would never happen again. “For a volunteer organization to be charged that kind of money is unreal,” she said.

Hayes also told council the town needs to get their elections on the county’s schedule and ballot to save the town money. “This election cost us over $2,000,” said Hayes. The cost has dramatically increased with the required option of early voting.

“I think we need to pursue it,” said Lemasters. It will likely require elected officials to voluntarily forfeit one year of their two-year terms.

Finally, council held a 15-minute executive session for personnel matters.