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CITY OF SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS REGULAR
MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER
5, 2004 7:00
p.m. Mayor
Chris Brown called the regular meeting of the Sulphur Springs City
Council to order at 6:32 p.m. Councilman
Larry Powers moved to adjourn to executive session in accordance with
Texas Government Code 551.071, consultation with attorney specifically
pending or contemplated litigation.
Councilman Freddie Taylor seconded.
There was no one present to speak to the issue.
The vote was unanimous. The
following council members and staff were present:
Mayor Chris Brown
Mayor Pro Tem Clay Walker
Councilman Joe Crouch
Councilman Freddie Taylor
Councilman Larry Powers
Councilwoman Lydia Bryant
Councilman Garry Jordan Staff:
Marc Maxwell, City Manager
Sharon Ricketson, City Secretary
Gale Roberts, City Secretary Trainee
Johnny Vance, Dir. Community Development
James Litzler, City Attorney
Peter Karstens, Finance Director – 7:15 p.m. OPEN SESSION Mayor
Brown reconvened the meeting in open session at 7:15 p.m. PLEDGE AND INVOCATION Mayor
Brown led in the pledge to the flag and the invocation. MANAGER’S REPORT City Manager Marc Maxwell told council that the Capital Construction Division and the Water & Sewer Division have completed the Highway 19 Utility Relocation project. The Council approved a budget of $212,942 for the project and it appears the budget will be exceeded by approximately $3,000. This project was performed in advance of the Highway 19 widening project. TXDOT will let the contract for the road construction in November. The Contractor should begin around the first of the year. The Maxwell Street water project began and concluded this month. The project replaced 1,370’ of badly deteriorated water main on Maxwell Street and Ardis Street. The project had a budgeted cost of $59,870; the City Manager feels confident that the total will be within the budgeted amount. This project concluded the FY’ 2003-2004 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). Next year’s CIP began with Ardis Street. The Capital Construction Division will be replacing 332’ of water main in addition to the water main being replaced as a part of the Maxwell Street project. 660’ of sewer main on Ardis will be replaced. After the utilities are replaced, the Capital Construction Division will reconstruct the street with reinforced concrete from Beckham to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The project is budgeted at $159,956. Construction of the new homes for the HOME Grant Program is progressing quickly. 4 of the 9 homes are ready for brick, and work has begun on the remaining 5 homes. The four homes ready for brick are located on Randolph, Mitchell, Calvert and Lamar streets. This project is going very smoothly due in no small part to the efforts of Johnny Vance and Gordon Frazier. A letter was received this week from the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission informing us that the City had been identified as a ‘hazardous employer”. Specifically the Parks and Recreation department was identified for injuries that allegedly occurred in 2003. The problem is that the Parks and Recreation Department did not have any such injuries in 2003. Apparently the Commission misclassified a firefighter, a Water Treatment Plant employee and a Water & Sewer Division employee as employees of the Parks & Recreation Department. The City Manager has requested an “administrative review”, and is confident that this issue will resolve itself soon. There were two workers’ compensation claims this month. A police officer received a bruised face from a combative suspect. The suspect was eventually subdued. A Water and Sewer division employee received a bruised knee while latching a trailer to a truck. Neither injury resulted in lost time. We did not have any liability claims in September. At the last meeting the City Council authorized staff to negotiate
with Goodwin Lassiter for surveying services and to proceed down the
list of surveyors if negotiations failed.
Negotiations did fail, and we moved on to KSA Engineers out of
Tyler. We have been able to
reach an agreement with them. I
expect to sign an agreement this week. The City of Sulphur Springs closed on the locksmith building at Main &
Tomlinson. We paid $20,000
for the property. Construction should begin this month on pitched metal roofs for the
Wastewater Treatment Plant, the Water treatment Plant, and City Hall. CONSENT AGENDA The
following items on the Consent Agenda were reviewed: City Council public
hearing minutes of September 1, 2004; regular City Council minutes of
September 7, 2004, Special City Council minutes of September 28, 2004;
Planning and Zoning Commission minutes of September 20, 2004, Zoning
Board of Adjustment minutes of September 21, 2004, and the Economic
Development Corporation minutes of July 19th, August 23rd,
and September 20, 2004. Councilwoman
Bryant moved to approve the items from the consent agenda as presented.
Councilman Jordan seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION FINAL REPLAT, LOTS 47 & 48, BLOCK 215-1, HIGHLAND
OAKS ADDITION
Owners Hal and Barbara Romack have
requested a replat of property located on April Drive, described as Lots
47 and 48 of Block 215-1 into one lot.
Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval.
There was no one present to speak to the issue. Councilman Taylor
moved to approve the replat. Councilwoman
Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION FINAL PLAT, LOTS 16 & 17, BLOCK 401 Owner
Willard L. Bowen has requested a replat of property located at 217
Glover, described as Lots 16 and 17 of Block 401 into one lot. Planning
and Zoning Commission recommends approval.
There was no one to speak on the issue.
Councilman Taylor moved to approve the replat. Councilwoman Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION FINAL PLAT, LOTS 1, 2, & 3, BLOCK 56 2-7 Owner
Vicki Ferrell has requested a replat of property located on the corner
of Foscue and Jefferson Streets, described as Lots 1, 2, and 3 of Block
56 2-7 into one lot. Planning
and Zoning Commission recommends approval.
There was no one to speak on the issue.
Mayor Brown moved to approve the replat.
Councilman Taylor seconded and the vote was unanimous. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON LIBRARY BOARD APPOINTMENT There
has been a vacancy on the Library Board since the death of board member
Guy Felton. Councilman
Powers moved to appoint Angie Blount to serve on the Library Board. Councilwoman Bryant seconded and the vote was unanimous. VISITORS/PUBLIC FORUM City
Secretary Sharon Ricketson reminded the City Council of the joint
meeting with the Commissioners’ Court on October 12, 2004.
ADJOURN With all business complete the meeting adjourned at 7:31 p.m. |
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