Saint James Catholic Church will place a FM radio tower on property owned by the city and in exchange will organize the Cinco De Mayo celebration at Celebration Plaza each year following the vote of the Sulphur Springs City Council Tuesday night March 7, 2017. The radio tower will facilitate the broadcast of a religious radio station located in Dallas.
City Manager Marc Maxwell told council the church had applied for the permit at another location in the city but that permit had been denied. With a desire to repeat the popular celebration the city approached the church with the idea of the old Cannon Craft location for the tower and their work in developing and carrying out the celebration each year. This year they will work with the city in the event already planned and, beginning in 2018, be in charge of the event from that time forward.
A new personnel policy was adopted for city employees. The former policy was 20 years old. The new policy is almost a total re-write and is in compliance with the Texas Municipal Leagues’ requirements.
A new community development director was named. The individual is from Michigan and will be giving notice to his current employer this week.
A discussion of a $700,000 donation to the Sulphur Springs Library was left unresolved as the council seeks to find the right investment channel and oversight of the moneys given. The money is a gift from an estate administered by a local attorney.
The council also approved the settlement of litigation brought by the family of Chance Ross.
A proclamation read by Sulphur Springs Mayor Emily Glass named March Texas History month in the city.
In his manager’s report, Marc Maxwell told the council:
BILL BRADFORD ROAD – Construction is complete! We are now just waiting for the concrete to cure a bit more on the east end of the street. We expect to open Bill Bradford Road on March 15th.
LOCUST STREET – The utility work (water, sewer, gas) is complete. Later on the agenda the council will consider whether to approve the low bid for concrete work and cement stabilization on Locust Street. Moore Street is next.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Work has begun at the wastewater treatment plant. The contractor has excavated on very large hole to accommodate 3 new clarifiers.
CLAIMS – We did not have any workers’ compensation claims or liability claims in February.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT – Total suspended solids (TSS) came in at 2.05 mg/L, well within the limit of 15 mg/L.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES – Finance Director Peter Karstens will present a year-to-date summary of revenues and expenditures.
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Sold 1,714 Gallons of AvGas and 6,135 gallons of JetA fuel.
- Treated athletic fields with pre-emergent.
- Began preparing irrigation systems on athletic fields for the spring/Summer season.
- Hosted a softball tournament.
- Hosted “Kids Fish” day.
- Cleared storm drain catch basins.
- Made 8 major street repairs following utility repairs.
- Used asphalt millings to build up pipeline road.
- Installed an automatic gate at the police department.
- Changed the banners downtown.
- Cleaned the Veteran’s Memorial fountains.
- Conducted 27 building inspections, 20 electrical inspections, 18 plumbing inspections, 4 mechanical inspections and issued 20 building permits.
- Responded to 128 fire/rescue calls including 1 structure fire.
- Performed preventative maintenance on 68 fire hydrants.
- Performed 73 fire inspections.
- Checked out 2,667 items from the library, and checked out 308 e-books.
- Responded to 156 animal control calls, and achieved a 32% adoption rate.
- Made 8 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 29 accidents, made 56 offense reports, wrote 610 traffic citations, and made 71 arrests in the Patrol Division.
- Switched all lamps at City Hall to L.E.D..
- Made repairs to Cooper Lake Pumps.
- Made repairs on the Lake Sulphur Springs pump station.
- Repaired 3 water mains.
- Replaced 10 water meters.
- Unstopped 19 sewer Mains.
- Washed 70,000 feet of sewer mains.
- Repaired 9 sewer mains.
- Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
- Performed preventative maintenance on several apparatuses at the water treatment plant, and the wastewater treatment plant.
- Treated 107 million gallons of potable water.
