VENDORS of the Ocho Rios and Claremont markets, who were severely affected by the effects of Hurricane Sandy last October, could soon see the facilities from which they operate receiving some much-needed attention.

Mayor of St Ann's Bay Desmond Gilmore said the Council has received a proposal for settlement from the insurance company and is now awaiting the further outcome to determine the scope of work to be done.

Vendors in the Ocho Rios market lost goods amounting to thousands of dollars when the hurricane ravaged sections of the island, ripping sheets of zinc from the facility and flooding an uncovered area.

Meanwhile, the mayor said the Council will be seeking to divest some of its investments in order to reduce the cost of maintaining them.

According to Gilmore, the Council has been maintaining several of these entities without reaping any benefits.

"It's time we start operating the Council as a business," he said.

He noted also that the Council will be putting in place its own committee to implement ideas raised during the last local government retreat held last year.

The committee, which will be a sub committee of the Parish Council, he said, is expected to put an end to "all talk and no action".

The mayor has also called on councillors to submit a project in their respective areas to the tune of $1 million as the Council plans to undertake 16 projects, one in each division in the parish.