An ongoing water line replacement project remained a primary topic of discussion during a Monday night meeting of the Salyersville City Council.

Getting together in regular session, council members received a project update from Summit Engineers representative Kevin Howard.
Howard, overseeing the project, said progress was improving through the Dixie Addition area, but added that the overall project is still behind schedule.
“It is going faster in Dixie than it did in town, but the project is about a month behind the original schedule,” Howard said during the meeting.
Weather slowed progress earlier and suggestions were made to ask project contractor Music Construction to increase weekly working days to catch up.

Howard said that would lead to overtime pay, but added that he would discuss the matter with Music officials and see if extra crews could be added for possible weekend work.

In a related matter, council member Jeff Ross mentioned clean-up of areas where lines had been replaced, saying some residents were upset with current conditions.
Howard said Music was fully bonded and that 10 percent of the total payment would be withheld until all contractual agreements had been met.
Also, Mayor Stanley Howard suggested that Music might want to meet with the Salyersville Volunteer Fire Department regarding the clearing and cleaning of debris and dirt left over from water line work.
The council agreed to pay project bills, including $64,931.40 to Music, $6,500 to Big Sandy Area Development District, and $5,411 to Summit.
In other business, the council discussed tax money paid by employees of out-of-city businesses, including Double Kwik, Dollar General, and Family Dollar.
City attorney Jeff Lovely said he was waiting on a confirmation total from the Double Kwik people and when received the city could provide re-imbursement.
Family Dollar, he said, had not responded to a recent letter and Dollar General officials had not yet been contacted.
A discussion of an engine swap reportedly involving the Salyersville Volunteer Fire Department was initiated, but received little response and no action.
Council member Tom Bailey did say, however, that if the truck in question “is worth fixing then it ought to be fixed”.