With a 100 percent chance of rain forecast for this coming Friday night, officials in Red Bank have decided to reschedule the city’s annual Christmas parade and tree lighting. Originally, the celebration was to be held Dec. 6, but because the weather is not cooperating, City Manager Randall Smith announced at the commission meeting Tuesday night, that the event will now take place Friday, Dec. 13, starting at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Smith said he had checked and Santa will be able to come that night.

The city manager in his report to the commissioners commended the fire, police and public works departments for their parts in keeping the community safe. Thanksgiving morning all three departments responded to a fire in which one life was lost and four families displaced. A second fire call came in before the first one was extinguished. Because of the extremely cold temperatures, water used to douse the fires turned to ice on the roadways. The public works department was then called to clear ice from the streets. Mr. Smith and each of the commissioners praised the city employees for a job well done with no complaints despite the fact these incidents occurred on a holiday.

The board of commissioners was updated concerning condemnations issued by the city. A house on Goodson Avenue and another on Cartwright Street that were condemned have now been demolished. Bids to take down a third structure on Red Oak Drive should be received early next week, the commissioners were told.

A recent seminar held by Red Bank was deemed successful. Around 15 citizens benefited from the two-hour-long meeting where a lot of questions were answered, said Mr. Smith.

A Town Hall Meeting to gather ideas for the best use of the old Red Bank Middle/High School property was well attended, said Vice Mayor Floy Pierce. She said there was a lot of good input from the citizens and many good ideas came from the meeting. Officials are continuing to gather suggestions for the property. Developing the ideas and putting them into motion will be the next step, she said.

Fall leaf pick-up has begun. The public works department started on the north end of town and will be moving south. Public Works Director Tim Thornbury said the goal is to complete gathering the leaves in February. 

On second and final reading, an ordinance that clarified the definition of a non-operating automobile was passed unanimously, with the intention of regulating the accumulation of outside parking and storage of abandoned and unregistered vehicles in the city.

Commissioners also voted to amend the 2014 operating budget to appropriate a $500 grant from Walmart that will be used by the police department for improving their data base.

The next meeting of the Red Bank Commission will take place at noon, on Tuesday, Dec. 17 instead of the usual evening time.