DEREK St. AMANT The city has a new commissioner.

The Bullard City Council approved the appointment of Derek St. Amant to the Bullard Planning and Zoning Commission at the regular meeting Tuesday, Sept. 8.

St. Amant has lived in Bullard for five years.

“I’ve had exposure to planning and zoning commissions,” St. Amant said.

St. Amant replaced David Steward, who resigned from the Bullard Planning and Zoning Commission.

In other action, council members approved a request from Don H. Walker for a change in zoning from R-1a, single family residential district to AR, adaptive reuse district for Lots 2B, 3A, 3B and 4 in Block 5 in the city of Bullard (in the 200 block of S. Henderson St.).

Walker said he will open an insurance office, but that it will not be a retail business.

“My intention is not to change the area that much. Parking should not be a problem,” Walker said. “The character of the structure should still look residential,”

After council members approved in July to treat the lift stations with a special strength cement to seal cracks and chips, work started in August at the lift station on Lynch St.

“I think we chose wisely,” said Bullard City Manager Larry Morgan.

Morgan said a similar process will be used to coat manholes, and that city officials should have bids for the work before the next city council meeting.

“We have a very positive result on our lift stations,” said Bullard Mayor Teresa Adams-Wilks.

Randy Gorham, city accountant, said sales tax revenue was down in June and July.

“The slow-down economy finally caught up with the city of Bullard,” he said.

Nevertheless, Gorham said the city was able to maintain the budget and that “the last two months were fairly normal.”

In other action, council members authorized the city manager and police chief to be signatories on two police department related bank accounts in reference to the tobacco compliance grant; and tabled nominating candidates for the Cherokee County Appraisal District Board of Directors.