In its regularly scheduled meeting of November 16, 2021, the Spur City Council considered two initiatives by the Spur Police Department and a citizen request regarding its animal ordinance.
For the newly re-staffed police department, chief Billy Spears proposed a Citizen Ride-Along Program through which interested citizens may attend learning sessions to foster community involvement. The council’s PD liaisions, Don Wright and Fronye Morris, spoke in favor of the proposal, which was approved by the council. Details will be forthcoming.
Spears also noted several maintenance issues with the PD headquarters, involving enhancements to window access and minor repairs to brick façade. Council tabled the request pending an in-house estimate costs.
Chief Spears reported 36 calls for service in October 2021, according to Dickens Co Sheriff’s Office, and said that he had implemented an in-house call sheet in order to provide a more detailed report in the future. Mayor Louise Jones commended Spears’s work to date.
Spur resident Kay Mardis spoke in considerable detail regarding one case of a frequently loose and possibly abused dog in her neighborhood, as the basis of a request that the city reconsider the wording of its Ordinance #678 (Animals and Fowl) regarding limits on the number of domestic animals, which she pointed out could not be counted without entry into a home. The dog, Mardis said, perished in a recent house fire as a result of inadequte care by its owners. Mardis, who had spoken with the city attorney, advocated for better worded and more enforceable animal ordinances.
Council considered and tabled a request by resident Tenola Lang for a temporary travel trailer variance, pending more information (Lang was not present to comment).
Council approved a request for Hotel-Motel Tax funds by Star Feed & Seed of $1,500 (out of approximately $2,000 in costs) for the annual Hunter Appreciation Dinner held November 6.
The Friends of Library requested and received permission to contribute the differential in city funding to provide a salary increase to the librarians for remainder of budget year.
Department reports. For the Spur Volunteer Fire Department, fire chief Wess Abbott was not in attendance; no action was taken.
City superintendent Chris Cornett reported one water hydrant installed by Dickens County Auto, potholes in alleys had been filled in alleys, risers had been rebuilt on two gas meters, a new air conditioner had been installed in the Exhibition barn, one water leak had been repaired, and work had been performed on the city natural gas system, and one gas leak had been repaired.
Code compliance officer John Schmidt, reported fire destruction of a vacant house with a possible squatter and dog occupying it; a possible hazard posed by a leaning cinder-block wall that looks hazardous; letters written to several homeowners for tall grass and weeds; repeat letters to two homeowners requiring cleanup of their property; a proposed solution for a resident who was unable to clean up vehicles and trash on their property; ongoing conversation with proposed Family Dollar store regarding change of zoning on one portion of lot; ongoing work on the second disposal pit.
For Municipal Court, Ashley Carothers reported little action, as Judge Matthews was not in the office during October and November. Judge-elect Geryn Leyendecker was expected to be sworn into office in December.
Carothers reported for the City Secretary’s office that City Hall would closed for the holidays December 24 and 27; she had transferred $42,741.61 from the special savings CD to the EDC CD for the funds that were owed from previous months; an Election Law seminar is slated for January 12–14 in Den ton, with Carothers and new city clerk Katie Tiede attending.
Carothers also reported that she had been working with Public Management to update information and contracts for the lift station project, undergoing financial and reporting training with former city secretary Laura Adams; training Tiede on utility billing, payments, balancing sheets, deposits and yearly reports; and training with Fundview on bank reconciliation. She has also handled various other administrative duties and has been gathering information for the city portion of the Dickens County website.
Mayor Jones menitoned the possibility of using a portion of CLRFR Funds to provide a Christmas bonus to city workers considered essential workers. No action was taken.
In public comment preceding the regular agenda, Spur resident Barbara Brannon thanked city works staffers for attention to alley repairs and especially to prompt repair of a gas leak behind her property.
Charlie Morris provided an update on FEMA funding, stating that the city was awaiting $9,288 in FEMA funds in Category B, and that phase of the application is complete. A new funding category, F, for utilities had just opened up unexpectedly, Morris said; these funds could address broken pipelines, the broken lift station, chlorinator and backflow preventer at Spur Clinic that were all related to last year’s winter storms. Morris hoped to find that the value of volunteer labor during the February storm could serve as a match for $3,698 of eligible funding if can utilize those resources. Mayor Jones commended Morris for voluntarily taking on the work of applying.
Minutes of the regular meeting of October 19, 2021, were approved, along with payment of invoices.
Present in addition to Carothers and Mayor Jones were council members Rhea Melton, Fronye Morris, Laidy Vasquez and Don Wright. Absent were Crystal Leary and Glenda White.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, at 6 p.m.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
