Homestead exemption, curfew for minors ordinance and economic development project negotiations are among topics Sulphur Springs City Council will discuss during the regular City Council meeting scheduled Tuesday.
While the regular City Council meeting isn’t scheduled to begin until 7 p.m. April 5, the elected city officials are slated to meet starting at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday in executive session to deliberate regarding Project Superman negotiation, consider possible purchase of real property, and to consult an attorney.
Labeled and identified only as “Project Superman” as negotiations are ongoing, local officials say the potential economic development project could be “a game changer” for the local economy in terms of jobs, and potential long-term tax revenues which would bolster the economy and provide funding for all taxing entities for projects and improvements. For the city and school district, the additional funds could mean additional funds for infrastructure and facilities improvements.
If negotiations for Project Superman or other matters from the executive session have reached a point where action is needed, the City Council would vote on the matter during the regular open portion of the meeting Tuesday evening, April 5, 2022.
Presented for second and, if approved, final hearing is the re-adoption, ratification, republishing and extension of Ordinance 2762 for another 3 years, the maximum allowable time. The ordinance, first passed by the City Council in 2020, establishes a curfew for unaccompanied minors, including circumstances in which minors would be allowed to be out past those hours. The city ordinance was first approved on final reading in April 2020.
The ordinance allows there to be a penalty, a citation or warning, for unaccompanied minors police catch out late at night by themselves. It also allows the officer to take the youth home if caught out in violation of curfew; officers previously were only able to ask the youth to leave, but no other enforceable recourse unless the unaccompanied minor had committed a criminal offense, City Manager Marc Maxwell told the City Council during first reading of the document proposed for re-adoption of the ordinance at the March1 City Council meeting. Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson noted recently, officers have encountered what appear to be more youth sneaking out of their homes at night, and at younger ages.
While officers had not yet issued a citation for the offense as of the March meeting, police had given 40 warnings for youth being out after curfew since the ordinance was became effective on May 1, 2020.
Ordinance No. 2862 will expire on April 30, 2022, if not re-approved by the City Council this month. To read Ordinance No. 2862, click here.
A presentation on homestead exemptions is slated to be discussed during the April 5 meting as well.
Additional items on the agenda include a city manger’s report on the status of capital improvements, municipal operations, accidents and claims for the past month, as well as a review of expenditures and revenues by the assistant city manger/finance director; and consent agenda, including a request for a 380 agreement, and City Council and other Committee meeting minutes from previous meetings.
Time has been designated for proclamation for Fair Housing Month, and any announcements, presentations and proclamations from the city officials; and public forum, to allow those individuals who signed up prior to the start of the City Council meeting to address the council on the records for a few minutes.
Unless otherwise noted, Sulphur Springs City Council meets in regular open session at 7 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month at Sulphur Springs Municipal Building (City Hall) on Davis Street.
