Spur’s City Hall, while already struggling to fill slots in its police department and city works, has found itself dealing with another key vacancy this week after the employment termination of city secretary Lisa Forman. And to top it off, city offices have been closed to the public this week due to Covid-19 quarantine precautions City offices will reopen Friday.
Forman had been on the job since April 1, when she was tapped for the position after her predecessor resigned due to family issues. Forman was still within her six-month probationary period when council members voted 5–1 Friday afternoon to let her go.
“The council thought it best to not continue (Forman’s) employment,” Mayor Louise Jones told The Texas Spur when reached by phone later. Jones, who was isolated at home, had participated in the special meeting via audio conference call.
All six alderpersons were present for the August 27 meeting. On a roll-call vote, Crystal Leary, Rhea Melton, Laidy Vasquez, Glenda White and Don Wright voted for the termination motion. Fronye Morris voted against; the motion carried.
Other business of August 27. In other business August 27, council approved the addition of the Spur Dickens County Library library director to the city’s pension program, as now required for employees working at least 19 hours per week.
Several members of the public were in attendance; there was no comment made in public forum.
Regular meeting, August 17. On Tuesday night, August 17, Spur City Council had held its regular monthly meeting at the Spur Community Center, with all council members and Mayor Jones present. Also present were accountant Bill Paxton to review the city’s financial audit, and attorneys Cal Huffaker and Hunter Harris, as well as members of the Spur Economic Development Corporation. No comments were made during public forum, but a considerable number of visitors were present.
Information about Spur EDC. Speaking for the Spur EDC was board member Eric Swenson, who recalled the corporation’s formation May 2007 as a Texas Type B economic development corporation and provided an overview of its funding mechanism via state sales tax revenues. This was in response to a question from Paxton regarding “what percentage the EDC was allotted from the City’s sales and use taxes from the Texas Comptroller,” according to the city’s draft minutes.
Swenson clarified that the corporation was authorized to receive one-half of one percent of the city’s adjusted sales tax revenues collected, a figure that had yielded an average of $40,000 to $50,000 annually to support local jobs-creation initiatives, according to EDC president Cindi Taylor.
“The city has always calculated this and sent it,” said Swenson. “We’ve never questioned it.”
But questions arose when the city had not disbursed funds to the EDC during the past eight months, a time of turnover in City Hall staffing. In the end all agreed that the portion of revenues due to the EDC, which are needed to fund currently approved projects and move forward on future ones, is as Swenson stated. The EDC asked to have the funds reinstated; no council action was taken.
“Since its inception in 2007, the Spur Economic Development Corporation has received lawful and accurate funding from the collection of the City of Spur’s 4B sales tax adopted by a majority of the City of Spur’s voters who approved it in May 2007,” said Taylor in a follow-up conversation. Taylor said that the EDC “will continue to disperse these funds to businesses and organizations for qualifying projects as determined by the State of Texas under the provisions of Section 4B of the Development Corporation Act of 1979.”
Financial audit accepted. Paxton, in presenting audit findings, noted that the City of Spur was “close to getting into a deficit with its unrestricted fund balace—about $20,000”— as it found itself in a learning curve with changing personnel. Paxton advised that this was a concern for the council, since it had spent more money than brought in over time.
Alderman Froyne Morris made a motion, seconded by Rhea Melton, to accept the annual audit as presented by Bill Paxton; the motion carried unanimously.
Other motions. Alderman Rhea Melton made a motion, seconded by Froyne Morris, to accept the changes to personal policies and procedures to reflect the new accounting software system; the motion carried unanimously.
Alderman Glenda White made motion, seconded by Don Wright, to institute new rate changes that the council voted in on August 9, 2021 at the special meeting for sewer, garbage collection, street, mosquito control and fire truck on October 1, 2021 billing; the motion carried unanimously.
Alderman Don Wright made a motion, seconded by Rhea Melton, to accept the adoption of the proposed budget of 3% for the fiscal year 2021–22; the motion carried unanimously.
Alderman Froyne Morris made a motion, seconded by Glenda White, to set a proposed tax rate of 1.27604 and to set a tax rate hearing for September 7, 2021; the motion carried unanimously.
Department reports presented. For the police department, Mayor Jones gave the Dickens County Sheriff’s Office report that consisted of 911 calls totaling 204 and non-emergency calls totaling 63, and Spur PD calls totaling 40. These calls involved disturbances, thefts, burglaries, fires, auto accidents and medical emergencies. In the jail report there are 12 prisoners that are being held in the Dickens County Jail for the month of July, 2021.
No representative was present to give a fire department report.
City superintendent Chris Cornett reported one water leak and three gas leaks repaired, mowing the parks and property lots, spraying for mosquitos four times, weeds sprayed, potholes patched, odorizer worked on and gas signs put up.
For codes compliance, Lisa Forman reported that the office had handled a request for zoning requirements for a Family Dollar store to be located at 705 Willard Street. The department also sent 17 letters for non-compliance of property maintenance for grass and weed control; several property owners have complied and five have not. The department has also sent a reminder to Dollar General to mow and clean up their lot. The department also followed up on a complaint of dogs barking at night on Parker Avenue. Additionally, compliance officer John Schmidt had talked to arepresentative of TCEQ about renewing the city’s license for its disposal pit amd had resubmitted the application. Staff are working on shredding for the new disposal pit, mowing and shredding properties of unknown owners, and trimming trees at the corner of 6th Street.
For Municipal Court Forman reported six letters numerous emails sent out. Fees collected for July were $25.00. Zoom meetings are active, as well as in-person hearings with a mask requirement inside the court. Judge Matthews will be back in office September 3, 2001.
Forman gave the city secretary’s report. City Hall will be closed Monday, September 6 for Labor Day Holiday; the fire truck grant checking account was closed out, with remaining funds of $976.23 transferred to the Spur Fire Truck CD; the Truth in Taxation Compliance Form was completed for the Dickens County Tax Assessor; implementation of the City’s new accounting software program has begun; Freeze Disaster Grant information was completed; and Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funds information was completed and a bank account opened for the funds to be deposited.
Regarding a website for the city, staff inquired about having an interim page for Spur to post its tax-rate information on the Dickens County website; pending a decision by the County, the City will post such materials on its Facebook page. No action was taken.
Other action August 27. The City interviewed and hired two full-time city technicians, Ramon Golden and Hayden Palmer.
Council approved minutes of the regular meeting of July 20, 2021, and special meetings on July 20, July 27, July 30 and August 3, 2021, and approved payment of invoices.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for September 21, 2021.
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