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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974-06-04 - Regular City CouncilM -C June 4, 1974 Stephenville, Texas The City Council met in regular session June 4, 1974, in the Council Room at City Hall, Stephenville, Texas, with Mayor Donald R. Jones presiding and the following members present: Jim Chambers, W. M. Irwin, Roy McCoy, Charles Riggins, Jesse Sexton, Larry Hammett and Neal Guthrie. Absent: Raymond Anderson. Others present were: City Administrator Shelton, Director of Public Works Gann, Director of Utilities Johnson, Chief of Police Watkins, Fire Marshall Ferguson. Also present were Grady Swindle, Pinky Swindle, George Black, W.N. Brown, J. W. Beck, Doug Smithey, Bobby Glasgow, Bill Riddick, Mary Sue Staig Lavenia Lohrman, C. H. Maguire, Jr., Darwin Ellis, J. W. Renfro, and M. A. Burgess. Councilman Chambers made the motion to approve the minutes of the two previous meetings as written, seconded by Councilman Sexton. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. J. W. Renfro, representing the Texas Highway Department, Fort Worth Dist. Office, came before the Council to discuss and answer questions on making Belknap Street on way south to Long Street and Graham Street one way north to Frey Street. Mr. Renfro stated, in part, that there would be some con- fusion but that he could foresee no major problems. He also said that the Highway Department would bear the majority of the cost which would be ap- proximately $5,000.00 and it would take 6 to 8 months to get an approval through the Texas Highway Commission. j Mr. Pinky Swindle, representing the Downtown Merchants, came before the Council in protest of the one way streets. Mr. Swindle presented a petition signed by some of the merchants and their personnel stating the following reasons for not wanting the one way streets: 1. With the coming of the shopping center, discount store and mall there is less traffic downtown. 2. We now have a South Loop and a North Bypass creating less down- town through traffic. 3. We feel that we have more parking and less congestion downtown than ever before. 4. People are just now getting accustomed to the outlay and parking on the square. It would be detrimental to completely reverse the flow of traffic to the square and to and from the post office. Mr. Swindle asked the Council to wait 60 days before making a decision to give the merchants more time to study the problem and maybe they could come up with an alternative. Mr. C. H. Maguire, Jr., representing the City Planning Commission, came be- fore the Council in behalf of the one way streets. Mr. Maguire stated, in part, that he believed that Stephenville was ready for one way streets now. He also believed that it would increase the sales for the downtown merchants as--the public would not have to fight the traffic congestion and would be - more inclined to come to the downtown area to shop. He pointed out that the Master Plan calls for the one way streets also on Washington and College streets. After quite a bit of discussion, Mayor Jones thanked each one for coming and said the Council would take all comments into consideration before making a decision. Mr. S. C. Lang, representing Southland Life Insurance Company, presented the Deferred "Compensation Plan for the City employees. He showed a film on this plan and explained to the Council that this plan is in addition to the City's regular retirement plan and all the City is required to do is the bookkeeping for the payroll deductions. After some discussion, Council- man Chambers made the motion that the City adopt this plan for the City employees, if they desire to take it, seconded by Councilman McCoy. Motion carried unanimously. Mrs. Mary Sue Staig and Mrs. Lavenia Lohrman came before the Council re- questing funds for the Senior Citizens Center in the amount of $7,500. the same as the City has contributed in the past. Mrs. Lohrman reported to the Council on the activities and community services at the Center and the act- ivities and services they are planning for the future, After some dis- cussion, Councilman Irwin made the motion to appropiate the sum of $7,500. for the coming budget year for the Senior Citizens Center, "seconded by Councilman Riggins. Motion carried unanimously. U0 Councilman Chambers stated that he would like to commend Mrs. Staig and Mrs. Lohrman work and participation with the Senior Citizens Center and they truly have an organization and the participation is 100%. Mayor Jones reported that Mr. Virgil Morgan who', did the city audit last year was working full time for a firm and cannot do the audit this year, therefore another auditing firm needs to be appointed. After some dis- cussion, Councilman Chambers made the motion to appoint Cheatham and Lans- ford as the City Auditors for this year, seconded by Councilman Guthrie. Motion carried unanimously. Mayor Jones stated that the Council needed to make a decision as to whether or not they wanted to accept the proposal of Don and Tommy King for a new official city map at an approximate cost of $20,000.00. City Administrator Shelton reported that the school and county had indicated they were not interested in sharing the expense of such a map. After considerable discussion, Councilman Chambers made the motion not to accept the proposal for a new official city map as presented, seconded by Councilman Sexton. Motion carried unanimously. City Administrator Shelton reported that the possibility of receiving a 75% grant for the sewer outfall line around the city is very remote. Also that the City could finance the majority of the north outfall line with Revenue Sharing funds. After considerable discussion with Director: of Public Works Gann, Councilman Hammett made the motion that the the City go ahead with the north outfall line, seconded by Councilman Riggins. Motion carried unanimously. City Administrator Shelton reported that by 1977 the City would have to install a new sewage treatment plant and he felt certain we would be able to get a grant for this. Councilman Irwin made the motion to approve the expenditures of $4,000. and approximately $1,000. to $1,200. more for the repair of water wells on the Lingleville Highway and Garfield Street, seconded by Councilman Chambers. Motion carried unanimously. The discussion on the Council of Governments was deleted. Will have a report on meetings at next council meeting. Councilman McCoy made the motion to appoint Bill Cogburn to the City Electrical Board to replace E. A. Blanchard who resigned, seconded by Councilman Sexton. Motion carried unanimously. Councilman Sexton made the motion to approve the following Resolution requested by W. D. Tate, seconded by Councilman Irwin. Motion carried unanimously. RESOLUTION WHEREAS, pursuant to a judgment in a tax suit numbered 367 on the docket of the District Court of Erath County, Texas and styled The City of Stephenville vs,. T. C. Tate and wife, Lizzie Tate, dated July 17, 1915, Jim Turnbow, Sheriff of Erath County, did sell at Sheriff's Sale to the City of Stephenville Lot No. 3 in Block No. 23 in said City of Stephenville, Erath County, Texas, for the sum of $25.00 and did execute and deliver a Sheriffs Deed to said City which is dated October 11, 1915, recorded in Vol. 130 at page 460 of the Deed Records of Erath County, Texas; and WHEREAS, possession of the property remained in the defendants in such tax suit and the property has now passed by various deeds to W. D. Tate of Erath County, Texas ; and WHEREAS, the records of the City of Stephenville fail to reflect any delinquent taxes owing on such property, and more than forty years have expired since the'._making and recording of such deed and presumption is that the property has-been redeemed from the tax sale: NOW, THEREFORE, for the purpose of completing the record, it is resolved that the mayor of the City of Stephenville be and is authorized to execute a quit -claim deed in the name of the City of Stephenville unto W. D. Tate which shall operate as a release of all claims of said City of Stephenville growing out of the judgment above mentioned and the Sheriff's Sale thereunder. Councilman Sexton reported that the paint was peeling on the new tennis courts. Councilman Guthrie made the motion for the Council to authorize funds for the Park & Recreation Dept. to put a fence around the new Optimist Field at an approximate cost to the City of $1,700. to be taken out of next year's budget, seconded by Councilman Chambers. Motion carried by a vote of 6 for, with Councilman Irwin abstaining. There being no other business, the meeting adjourned. ST: Mayor ty eecretary