At the December 7 Pickering City Council meeting, it was announced City Attorney David Baird was resigning his position as of December 31.

His law firm, Strong and Strong, had made the decision to drop municipal law at the end of 2019. Baird had remained as Pickering’s attorney since the city had several court cases pending.

Baird recommended the city look at attorneys Tina Dieter and Taryn Henry. Mayor Charles Smith will make arrangements to talk to both attorneys.

Baird also informed the city that prosecution could not proceed against the owners of a neglected property in Pickering. He told the city it needed to provide the defendant’s birth date and Social Security number.

This confused Smith and City Clerk Milt Sovereign as they had not had to provide the information before. Baird provided a blank police report which had this information requested on it. Smith is going to explore the information further as the city has not and cannot arrest anyone.

Two council seats, both for two years each, will be on the April 5, 2021 ballot. Filing dates are from Tuesday, December 15 until Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Candidates may file at Sovereign’s home, 104 South Coleman Street, Pickering, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

The purchase of a $20,000 bond for Sovereign was approved. This is a yearly expense and costs the city $100.

The city liability insurance exclusions were reviewed. The exclusions include cyber currency and communicable diseases.

Alderman Ramona Pennington inquired who had donated the emergency defibrillator to the Pickering Community Building. She wants to put a plaque on it. Smith will find out.

 

Alderman Kevin Leedom has been working on the city park. He succeeded in having donated concrete poured under the picnic tables. The city had donated $50 and Pennington had donated $50. Leedom purchased the rebar for the concrete, a new hoop and net for the basketball goal and two new basketballs. He brought back the extra money but was told to use it on the park. He is looking at a stand to use for a projector to show movies at the park during warm weather.