In a called meeting of the Spur City Council Sept. 27, 2021, the council approved hiring of a new chief of police following a lengthy search process. Sgt. Billy Russell Spears, currently employed by TSTI Technical Institute in Sweetwater, was unanimously approved by the council, with a quorum of four members present (Laidy Vasquez and Crystal Leary were absent.).
Spears plans to relocate to Spur within two weeks with his wife, Darla; the couple will live in city-provided housing in Spur.
Following an amendment to the motion in last week’s regular meeting to hire a new clerk, the council also approved hiring of Kathyrn (Katie) Teide as city clerk, effective Sept. 28. Teide, a Jayton native, has relocated to Spur recently from Oklahoma.
During its regular meeting of Sept. 21, 2021, the council had already handled a long agenda of business expeditiously. Before convening the meeting, however, Mayor Louise Jones spoke briefly in open forum as a citizen to express her displeasure over personal accusations and comments that visitors had brought to City Hall in recent days, disrupting operations at times.
Matters before the council included reading of the ordinances adopting the proposed 2021-22 budget and no-new-revenue tax rates, and approving both. On a recorded vote with one minor amendment, the city unanimously approved a tax rate of 1.276040.
The council approved policy updates on its grant regarding sewer lift station, for TxCD-BG contracts #7219320 and #7229144. As work is set to begin on this long-awaited project, the city is required to track all hours worked, related to three sections of grant work. The city will try to hire local workers if needed.
Following a brief executive session during which applications for the city clerk position were reviewed, the council returned and moved unanimously to hire one of the applicants.
In department reports, Dickens County Sheriff Terry Braly submitted August 2021 statsitics as follows: 9-1-1 calls, 85; non-9- 1-1 calls, 115; calls handled for Spur PD, 40; and an average of six prisoners held in the Dickens County jail during the month.
Wess Abbott submitted a Spur fire department report that was delivered in absentia. Firefighters continue to work on restoring the Unit 814 brush truck, and the department plans to participate in Spur Homecoming activities. One unit will be taken to Lubock soon for warranty work. Work continues with city superintendent Chris Cornett regarding locations of hydrants. The department has accepted the resignation of member Tanner effective Aug. 1 and elected Cory Bateman as assistant chief.
For city works, Cornett reported working on alley repairs, replacing one fire hydrant, and handling mowing to get ready for Homecoming.
Codes compliance officer John Schmidt reported action on the following items:
• Handled complaints regaring a travel trailer behind a house on Carroll Avenue, where trash has been piled up.
• Mowing on a lot in Freeman has been unsatisfactory.
• Responded to a report of dogs barking continuoulsly at night.
• Responded to a report of dogs running loose in the area of E. Hill St. and E. 3rd St.
• Responded to a report of junk cards in a yard on Carroll Ave.
• Notified residents on E. 1st St. about a pickup on blocks, due to alley trash pickup blocked; trees were trimmed.
• A newcomer has bought two lots in the Freeman Addition.
• Followed up on noncompliance at one property regarding mowing back yard for three years.
• Called County Commission regarding cleanup of lot on W. 6th St.
• Sent nine letters regarding mowing and cleanup.
For the municipal clerk’s office, Carothers reported that letters had been sent out regarding fines. In-person meetings with the municipal judge have been resumed but require masks; municipal judge Matthews will be back in Spur Oct. 1. Matthews is looking to retire after her October session, said Mayor Louise Jones, and Spur will need to identify a new judge.
City secretary Carothers reported that she had been undergoing training in accounting and other programs and had been interviewing candidates for the city clerk position. Since Dickens County received new voting machines, Carothers will receive training in the new systems Sept. 28. Carothers reported that $5,290.60 had been transferred to the general fund from another fund. Tuesday, Oct. 19, will be the next regular city council meeting.
The council moved, with a minor correciton to the place of meeting as noted in Ordinance 708, to adopt the proposed budget for FY22. The motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Jones reported that the City of Spur had received $128,547.68 in Coronavirus CLFRF funding and must now decide what priorities to spend the money on. Jones expressed a preference for applying the funds to water line, sewer and fire hydrants, especially in light of the increased likelihood that such uses would be readily approved by the federal authorities. The council backed up Jones’s recommendation with a unanimous vote to submit water, sewer, fire hydrants to US Treasury as priorities.
Minutes of the previous meetings were approved, and invoices were approved for payment.
Mayor commended Carothers, in her new position as city secretary, for her preparation of invoices for council consderation and approval.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.
