ELBERTA — This Halloween could get a little spookier in Elberta

During its regular work session Tuesday, the Elberta Town Council gave the Elberta Police Department the go-ahead to pursue a project to hold a haunted house fundraiser in October.

Elberta Police Officer Chris Martin approached the Council with the idea. He explained that a friend has a crew that travels to haunted-house conventions and has acquired the props and equipment needed to present their own haunted house.

“He said he would love to get his friends to put it on for us at no cost,” Martin told the Council.

The officer explained that the idea would be to hold the event over several weekends leading up to Halloween in the Elberta Civic Center, with admission charged and proceeds being used to fund equipment for Elberta Police Department.

“We could have 300-400 people per night,” Martin said. “The only expense I can see is renting Port-a-Potties and a possible concession stand, which could make two to three times more than ticket sales.”

Elberta Administrative Clerk Sandy Germany said she had consulted the League of Municipalities about the financial aspect of the matter.

“To do something like this, a separate account must be set up for it,” she said at the work session.

Further discussion also led the Council to ask Martin to look into the liability and insurance issue for such a venture.

The Council asked Martin to look into the issue further, with the intention of moving forward with the project.

However, another project didn’t render such positive feedback.

During its regular meeting, which followed Tuesday’s workshop, the Elberta Town Council denied a request by engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Caywood to pay for a third rendering of an drainage project the town is working on.

As previously reported, the town received a federal grant in 2010 for work that consisted of installing drainage pipes south of U.S. Highway 98, along three parallel streets, beginning with a cross of Olive Street and diagonally cutting down to Main Street and ending on Lavinia Street. However, the plan would cut across several residential homes and easements would be required to do so.

However, the town didn’t get easements that would allow for the installation of pipe on personal property.

According to Elberta Public Works Streets Chief Tim Bragg, easements are merely legal documents enabling the town to install pipe, culverts or other drainage improvements.

“They (property owners) still own the property,” he said in an interview after the meeting.

So instead of the city condemning the hold-out property owners, an alternate route was developed and presented last month. This plan takes the drainage system from down Dakota Avenue straight down to and across Old Foley Road.

But since last month, it was discovered that the project could go across about three parcels of personal property. So Tuesday, the engineering representative asked for funding to draw a new plan in case the town doesn’t get those easements.

The Council pointed out that they did not ask for that plan. Instead, they decided to go door-to-door and speak with the affected property owners and ask for easterns.

In the process, Elberta Mayor Marvin Williams pointed out that the town would not condemn property to get the drainage project completed.

“I just don’t do that,” he said in the meeting.

However, the state of the projet could hinge on acquiring those few easements.

“If we could not get permission, the grant could just go away,” Bragg said.

Also Tuesday, the Elberta Town Council:

* Heard Ralph Veller request funding for Baldwin County Heritage Museum. Williams gave $200 out of the mayor’s fund.

* Heard a report by Elberta Police Chief Stan DeVane for June, which included 21 arrests by the Elberta Police Department.

* Appointed June Taylor, Cheryl Walker, George Braswell and Linda Johnson to the Election Committee for the upcoming Aug. 28 election.

* Asked the mayor to continue negotiations with Riviera Utilities for a $15,000 bill for water testing conducted over the last two years.

* Heard a report by Bragg that included an announcement that a county-road project on C.R. 83 is ongoing.