Thursday's Internet Edition, December 04, 2008.
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| SMALL SCHOOLS FIRST PLACE TEAM – Hamilton High School students Zachary Anglin, Tyler Gentry and Christian Selman competed at the Area 4, Regions 12, 13 and 15 academic competition winning first place. They will be awarded monetary scholarships for their efforts and will advance to state competition April 20 at Mary Hardin Baylor University in Belton. |
Frederick told the council that the proposed corridor would take 71,660 acres out of agricultural production and original estimates for construction were huge and have already gone up.
He said the Farm Bureau is also concerned that a foreign corporation appears to have taken the lead on the project. “We think this situation is highly suspect,” said Frederick.
He also said that a fee of 12 ½ cents per mile for cars for use of the transit system is being proposed, which would cost motorist a toll of $20.50 per car for a trip from Dallas to Austin. He said for a truck the toll would likely be between $80 and $100 for the same trip.
“They are planning very few exits,” said Frederick. “Many land owners who are providing the property for the corridor would be without access to it.”
He urged the council to go to the Farm Bureau website at www.txfb.org to learn more about the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor. He said that at this site there is also a place to make comments about the corridor.
“I ask you to do that as a group and as individuals,” said Frederick.
“One thing the Farm Bureau is recommended,” continued Frederick, “is to use these funds to improve the existing highways - for example, Highway 281. This would spread traffic throughout the state.”
“I’m asking you to take some action. Educate yourselves, then make comments. Please look at the Farm Bureau website and tell them your opinion,” concluded Frederick.
City Administrator Bill Funderburk concurred with Frederick’s statements, saying, “There is no benefit to any city having this close to them with no exits and there is a lot of ag land being taken out of production.”
Mayor Roy Rumsey presided over the meeting and all members of the council were present – Mike Collett, Betty Jenkins, Grant Lengefeld, Helen Townsend and Bradley Haile. The meeting lasted just over an hour and a half.
In the next agenda item, the council discussed with Jack Graham a bid that he had made to the council for 50 acres at the Hamilton Municipal Airport on behalf of a group of investors who were planning to build an aircraft refurbishing plant there, as well as other industrial projects.
The proposal was presented to the council more than a year ago. The contract for the purchase was delayed at that time because of issues that TxDOT had with it. The city had to have TxDOT approval in order not to jeopardize TxDOT grant money used for the airport.
The city eventually developed a contract that met the TxDOT requirements and presented it to Graham some months ago. However, Graham and the investors group never finalized the deal.
Graham told the council Thursday, “The investors we had pulled out. No one seems to be interested in doing a whole lot right now. My recommendation is to keep looking. The first one that can get anything going out there, take it as a city. There is not a lot of outside interest at this point, but that doesn’t mean that won’t change.”
City Attorney Connie White said, “At this point, I recommend terminating the contract and we can reassess it if something else comes up.”
Collett asked Graham if that was alright with him and he responded that it was.
“Again, I apologize,” said Graham, “this just kind of fell through.”
Mayor Rumsey said to Graham, “We do appreciate your efforts, Jack.”
Graham concluded, “I want to thank everybody for their efforts, but don’t think that it is over. We’ve hit a bump in the road. I haven’t given up on it.”
Jenkins made a motion to terminate the contract, Haile seconded it and it passed unanimously.
EDC Executive Director Jane Crouch presented an amended budget for use of the $3,000 presented the city for winning the Texas Department of Agriculture 2007 Hardworking Rural Community Award. It had been previously approved by the council to spend the money on promoting Hamilton County’s Sesquicentennial, but TDA did not approve that usage.
At Thursday’s meeting, Crouch presented a budget proposing to spend the money on advertising the upcoming Sweetest Loop activities, which will benefit Hamilton General Hospital, as well as Scott and White Hospital. The TDA had already approved this use of the money.
The council approved spending the money to place half page ads in 12 area newspapers promoting the Sweetest Loop activities.
Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Manager Steve Almquist presented the quarterly hotel and motel occupancy tax financial report. He said that in the first quarter $4,778.72 was raised through the tax.
He told the council that there is now a $19,205 fund balance generated by the tax. He said that he will be back at the next meeting to present some ideas on how the chamber plans to begin utilizing some of the money.
“The purpose of this tax is to put heads in beds and we have some things working,” said Almquist.
The council also approved an ordinance amending the gas franchise agreement with Atmos Energy Corporation, which will allow the city to receive five percent of gross revenues for use of city owned right-of-ways. This is an increase from four percent. This increase was allowed in the recently approved rate agreement negotiated by a coalition of Texas cities with Atmos.
The council also voted to lease a new copier rather than purchasing it after reviewing the costs. The lease had been tabled at the previous month’s meeting, so that city staff could get cost comparisons.
Funderburk told the council that the lease price for 60 months is $11,520, which includes a service agreement and toner. The purchase price of the copier is $11,500, but does not include a service agreement or toner.
By taking no action, the council allowed a rate increase for telecommunications right of way line rates. In a provision in the existing agreements, the increase is automatically implemented based on the Consumer Price Index. It will be a 1.46 percent increase to telephone companies using city right-of-ways.
The council discussed providing credit card services to customers. Funderburk said the credit card machine would cost $800 and that the city would be charged a fee on each transaction, that would vary some depending on which credit card was used. However, he said the state allows the city to add a five percent service fee to bills paid by credit cards to cover this expense.
Funderburk said that credit cards might be used to pay utility bills, permit fees and tickets.
After discussion, the council tabled the item until further information could be gathered and will consider it again next month.
The council also amended its personnel policy regarding carry over hours on vacation time. As amended, an employee with 10 to 14 years with the city would be allowed to carry over 120 hours of vacation time for one year. An employee with 15 years or more would be allowed to carry over a maximum of 160 hours.
The council set a public hearing for the proposed zoning ordinance for Thursday, May 8 at the start of the regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. The planning and zoning commission held its required public hearing on March 27.
The council approved a proclamation proclaiming April as Fair Housing Month in Hamilton.
During the reports portion of the meeting, Sheriff Randy Murphree told the council that his department had been very busy. “You would think it was already summer – with the number of assaults we’ve had.” He also reported there had been some criminal mischief at the school, more bird thefts reported at Rainbow Exotics and two four-wheeler reported stolen in the county.
He said that in the past month, there had been 57 citations issued and 88 warnings. He also said that the jail had been full.
During the public works report, Director Ronnie Harris told the council that there had been a lot of disconnects during the previous month for non-payment. He also said that North Railroad had been paved to the new park and the adjacent Francis Marion Street had also been paved, as was the front entrance to the park. He said paving on South Bell should start soon and that the drainage work done in that area appeared to be effective during the last rain.
John Ratliff presented his report as Community Development Director. He said overall it had been a normal month. He said there had been a lot of activity for the animal control officer. He said that he is still changing his hours around to see if it helps. He said it was an average month for building permits, although they are still way ahead for the year.
Park Director Ryan Polster told the council that t-ball, softball and baseball seasons are underway at the new park. He said that his assistant, David Walske, is doing an outstanding job mowing in the parks.
He said that getting the swimming pool ready to open is a top priority right now.
He also invited the council to visit the restrooms throughout the park. He said that they are cleaned each morning. He reported that he recently received a complaint about one of them, but that was at the end of the day. He said that all of them are put in good order each morning, but that sometimes by the end of the day they need attention again.
“We can’t clean them every 30 minutes,” said Polster.
He also said that the bathrooms at the playground have been closed because of a water leak, but that it should soon be fixed and they will be reopened.
He said that Terry Baize and his ag students are building a bird watching blind in the undeveloped part of the new park and that Michael Langford is constructing bird houses.
Funderburk reported that the wastewater treatment plant project is nearing completion and that work is underway on the standpipe at Fair Park and should be finished in another week. He also said some additional drainage work is going to be needed on Sherry Lee Drive.
He also said that Saturday, May 3 will be the annual cleanup day, but that no dumpsters will be available at the city barn this year. However, they will be open at the old land fill to accept brush. Waste Management trucks will begin picking up trash at curbside at 7 a.m.
Jenkins commented that drainage work is again needed on Williams Street. She said she was recently in that area after a rain and that it was horrible.