Sulphur Springs City Council during their regular meeting Tuesday night are scheduled to discuss and consider five ordinances, at least three resolutions, award bids for contract work on Connally Street, and discuss
Special Election
The Council will be asked to approve Resolution 1171 calling for a special election on Nov. 5, to allow the Sulphur Springs/Hopkins County Economic Development Corporation to use the sales and use taxes, including any previously collected for specific categories of project that qualify under Section 4B of Texas Development Corporation Act, for construction and maintenance of park facilities.
Essentially, Sulphur Springs City Manager Marc Maxwell said, the election would allow the city to use 4A EDC tax money for a 4B tax purpose, to help fund improvements at Pacific Park and to construct a new Senior Citizens Center.
Maxwell said the city in 1999 took the same option to the voters, to provide $150,000 in 4A EDC funding coming to the city to be used for 4B purposes, specifically construction of Coleman Park. The city took out bonds, paid using the annual EDC funding; this is the last year of payment on that note.
City officials are proposing taking the same motion to the taxpayers, asking to be able to utilize about $200,000 a year for 20 years to pay a new note, which would be used for Pacific Park improvements identified during a charrette and to build a new Senior Citizens Center, Maxwell said.
“Let’s do it again, only this time let’s ask voters if they want to approve $200,000 a year. It’s a greater amount, but it’s a lesser percentage of EDC revenues, because the EDC revenues have double in those 20 years. Let’s use that to sell $3 million worth of bonds,” Maxwell said.
Connally Street
The City Council too will be asked to consider the bids and award a contract for the Connally Street excavation, stabilization and concrete pavement.
Tire Ordinance
The City Council, during the July 2 meeting, also will hear on second and final reading an ordinance calling for regulations of local tire businesses.
The language in the ordinance has been modified slightly since the June meeting, when Ordinance 2746 was first read, according to Maxwell.
“We’re going to treat all tires, whether they are old or scrap, the same in two regards. One, they all have to be hidden from public view. Two, they all have to be covered so rain water cannot get on the tires; that’s how the mosquito problems occurred. And, we’re also going to give existing businesses 6 months to come into compliance,” Maxwell said.
Also, the way the ordinance was proposed earlier this month, tire businesses will only be allowed to keep 500 old or scrap tires on-site, the city manager said.
Rezoning Ordinances
Ordinances 2747 and 2748 would rezone the 117.33-acre Heritage Business Park and the 103.06-acre Pioneer Business Park to heavy industrial zones. The complexes were zoned agricultural when annexed by the city in recent months. This would allow them to be heavy commercial. The ordinance will be read for the first time at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Ordinance Amendments
Two additional ordinances are slated to be read for the first time Tuesday as well. One would amend the fee schedule for Community Development to comply with House Bill 852, while another would amend the ordinance to clarify the definition of travel centers and truck stop centers.
Document Resolutions
Two additional resolutions would allow the city manager to execute documents related to a federal grant project presented by Texas Department of Transportation for airport improvements and as well as a master agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management to finance and manage the replacement of the city’s fleet.
Executive Session
The regular meeting of Sulphur Springs City Council will begin at 7 p.m. in the Council Room at City Hall, located at 201 North Davis Street. However, the city officials are scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. in executive session to consult with an attorney regarding pending or contemplative litigation.
During the regular meeting, the council then will have the option of discussing and taking action on the executive session item which may include Resolution No. 1174,” according to the agenda.
