The Fairmont City Council  took no official action Monday to regulate outdoor music in the city, leaving in place the existing agreement with businesses to end the music at 11:30 p.m. .At the council’s July 23 meeting, City Administrator Mike Humpal read a letter from a citizen who lived near the Channel Inn and was upset about its outdoor music. A month later, Humpal offered to research how and if other communities handle the issue and report back to the council in mid winter. He offered three recommendations for the council to consider: 1) Continue with the current ordinance, staying flexible and maintaining an understanding with the business owners to end outdoor music at 11:30 p.m.; 2) Amend the ordinance to allow outdoor music from Memorial Day to Labor Day and summer holidays with an end time at 11:30 p.m. or another designated time; 3) Amend the ordinance to allow outdoor music with a special event permit from the city with a stated end time.

The council set four public hearings for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 25 to sell four vacant lots resulting from razing tax-foreclosed structures this summer. Each of the properties will sell for $1,500 plus the cost of the $750 survey, for a total of $2,250. The city’s practice has been to sell vacant properties to abutting property owners at minimal cost. The city is required to sell property by ordinance, which requires a public hearing.

The council approved the Preliminary Report for the 2019 Improvement Program to move it forward toward a work session and then eventually a public hearing coming up on March.

The council recognized Paul Hoye, city finance director, and his staff for achieving the Excellence in Financial Reporting Award for 2017 from the Government Finance Officers Association. Under Hoye’s guidance, the city has received this award for the last 10 years.