Economy council approves mowing contract, requires conflict‑of‑interest filing

The Economy Town Council reviewed and approved a mowing contract with contractor Jeff Jackson during its Jan. 14 meeting and discussed required conflict‑of‑interest disclosures. The clerk indicated she had revised the contract following previous discussion, adding a $600 end‑of‑season payment and setting $50 per hour as the rate for abatements. Council members agreed to sign the contract and to upload the signed contract and the conflict‑of‑interest form to the state’s Gateway reporting system.

The clerk told the council she had contacted the state board of accounts to confirm the conflict‑of‑interest filing process and noted that the public meeting date listed on the disclosure must precede any final action on the contract. Council members agreed to proceed with the administrative steps required for compliance.

The meeting record shows a motion to accept the contract and a second; however, no roll‑call vote tally or named mover/second appears in the transcript. The council also discussed how abatements would be billed and confirmed that related payments would be documented; the clerk said she would check with the state auditor (Corey Bell was mentioned as having assisted with forms) if additional payroll or reporting questions arise.

Next steps: the clerk will finalize signatures, upload the contract and disclosure to Gateway, and confirm with the state board of accounts whether additional payroll reporting (for a $500 amount mentioned) is required.