By RANDALL ALLEN

Horizon Reporter

CELINA-City alderman voted against replacement of the downtown welcome sign, voted to keep West Lake Avenue a two-way street, and abolished tiny home restrictions within city limits during their October meeting.

The metal “Welcome to Celina” sign formerly located on West Lake Avenue, which was recently struck by a truck and removed, will not be replaced, after alderman unanimously voted against having it reinstalled last week.

All three aldermen offered their thoughts on the issue.

“I want to start out by saying, I have got a message stating that if the sign doesn’t go back up, they (the business owners of the area) no longer want it (West Lake Avenue) a one way street,” alderman Justin Rich said.  “In my opinion, I would be for the sign not going back up.”

“I have heard the same thing,” alderman Brittany Kerr replied, before alderman Kenny Westmoreland offered his thoughts.

“Leave the sign down,” he said.  “I really haven’t had anyone say they were in favor of it.

“I do know one thing, that if it reaches a point that this bypass is built, that we might consider one out there, where you come into town, near the auto parts store.”

“You can drive by and look and see how much more space is over there,” Kerr concluded, referring to extra parking on West Lake Avenue now that the sign is gone.

With the sign taking up space for parking, local merchants proposed making the street one way last month, as reported in the September 4 edition of the HORIZON.

Following the discussion, Kerr made a motion not to replace the welcome sign and to leave West Lake Avenue a two way street.  Westmoreland seconded the motion and it passed 3-0.

There was also some discussion on repealing tiny home restrictions within the city limits.  Currently the minimum square footage of building a new home in the city limits is 960 square feet.

“My feelings are if you have got a property here, you should be able to do what you want,” Rich said, before making a motion to cancel the tiny home restrictions.  Westmoreland seconded the motion and it passed 3-0.

In other business, city alderman chose to table a bid for new trash cans after the local quote cost was “nearly double,” according to Rich.

Alderman also approved the second reading of amending the police budget. The purpose of this budget amendment is to add extra police coverage during Halloween.