By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

The Rutledge City Council heard a suggestion for making the city’s speed humps more visible as well as a couple of updates during its November meeting.
Rutledge resident Neil Fitzgerald said the speed humps are reflective at night but in some places they appear like shadows during the day. Skid marks on top of the humps indicate where drivers had to slam on their breaks, he said.
He recommended the city paint the humps yellow. He even provided estimates he had gathered. If the city uses the Sherwin-Williams paint he found, it will cost about $590 to paint all 13 of the 20 x 14 humps. The cost to paint the four foot crown instead would run about $162.
Fitzgerald shared his concern that a driver will file a complaint against the city because of damage caused to their car.
“I’ll buy the first gallon of paint if you want to paint one,” he offered. 
Council member Brenda Thompson said they have signs posted indicating speed humps ahead. She added that if people drove over the humps at the recommended speed limit, there would not be a problem. Council member Chad Cook agreed with Thompson’s assessment.
Council member James R. Bratcher said they might be able to outline the white areas of the hump in yellow so that the humps might be visible even in the shade.
Mayor Spencer Knight said they have everything the engineer told them they had to have regarding the speed humps. He said they would have to check with their engineer before making any changes.
Knight thanked everyone for the “wonderful success” of their Christmas in the Country event.
“We had a good turnout,” he said, crediting Joellen Artz for her hard work.
Knight reminded everyone about the city’s leash law.
“Lock up your cats and dogs,” he said. The county enforces the leash law and complaints should be directed to Animal Control.
The city received a quote from the county to scrape Nunnally Road for $300.
The oxidation pond needs the sludge on the bottom removed. Knight said the pond is 40 to 45 years old. He added that they are putting a bid package together and will advertise it in the paper soon. 

Printed in the November 29, 2012 edition.