LAPEL — Lapel Town Council has decided it needs two town council meetings per month — on the first and third Thursdays — rather than just one official get-together every 30 days.

The council made the decision during a recent special session out of necessity, town leaders said, because there’s a lot of activity in the Lapel area requiring town action, and the town must respond to it quicker.

The council also discussed the town’s employee handbook.

Councilman Clay Parkison suggested the town compare its employee handbook, which was written in 2009 and seems dated, he said, to handbooks from other communities.

Another aspect of the employee handbook that caught Parkison’s eye is that some town jobs have no job description.

After a short discussion on drug policy and other issues in the handbook, the council agreed it would develop a job description for the utility manager position, currently filled by Chris Hobbs.

In other town business, Aaron Goslee from RQAW, an engineering and architecture firm, said the Community Crossings state grant road improvement project should start in late May and take about three weeks to complete.

The project was made possible thanks to a 75 percent state-25 percent local matching grant and will allow the town to repair or resurface many roads. Not every road problem will be fixed this time around, town leaders said, indicating they plan to pursue future grants for other projects.

In a related matter, the council approved RQAW to perform up to $10,000 worth of inspection work during the road project to ensure it’s being done correctly.

In other town business:

• Goslee said the drainage fix at Bulldog Park has been completed and he is pleased with the work.

• The council voted to reduce the amount of money a council member can spend without approval from $5,000 to $500.

Planning commission

The Lapel Planning Commission viewed plans by the Likens family for land just west of Bulldog Park. Drainage board approval is still being sought for the plans, but if approved, a 6,000-square-foot log home would be built on the lot.

In other town business, the planning commission forwarded an unfavorable recommendation about a request to rezone a piece of land on County Road 700 South to allow for the development of an outside storage facility.

The planning board said it wishes to keep the area for residential development only.

The town council is expected to conduct a public hearing Thursday, June 21, about the project. A decision on the rezoning request could be made then.