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The DeLeon City Council met in regular
session with all members present except Howard Gifford.
Replacing Nikki, the DeLeon Police
Department’s K-9 officer, was addressed first.
“About a week ago, Nikki had a very
violent seizure in the back seat of my patrol car,” Kluge said, “and
had to be rushed to Conway’s Vet Clinic in Comanche. He kept her over
the weekend and did a bunch of blood work on her and found out her
liver is damaged.”
Kluge said that approximately six months
earlier, Nikki had “gotten down” and began losing weight and having
intestinal problems.
“We couldn’t figure out what was wrong
with her,” Kluge said, “she just wouldn’t gain any weight...I tried
everything and nothing was working. Apparently, she got a virus back
then that has now damaged her liver. Nikki will still find dope right
now, but her activity level has been cut, at the order of the vet. He
said if we don’t cut her activity level, her liver won’t heal and
she’ll end up dying.”
Kluge said he believed DeLeon needed a
successful K-9 program.
“My understanding is, the first K-9
purchased here was bought with citizen’s donations,” Kluge said. “It
costs the citizens $5,000 for the initial dog, which was Buster. He
got aggressive, and the people we got him from swapped him out even
for Nikki. We’ve had K-9 for three years now on that $5,000.”
Kluge then noted that he had checked with
“the people at the K-9 place” and the city was well beyond any
warranty issues now.
“But they’re willing to put us in another
dog for $3,000, and allow us to retire Nikki,” Kluge said. “I think
that is considerably cheaper than it was before. Plus, we won’t have
to pay for two weeks of me being gone for training.”
Kluge then discussed Nikki’s future once
she’s retired.
“Right now, Nikki’s on a prescription dog
food that costs about $45 a bag. And she’s taking $65 a month worth of
medication for her liver. If she retires, that becomes mine -- I’ll
pay for that bill. But Nikki will stay with me, because I can’t get
rid of her. I got rid of one dog already, this one I’m not getting rid
of -- I’ll take on the responsibility for her medical.”
After further discussion, including the
possibility of some sort of insurance compensation, Chief John
McDaniel was asked for his opinion on the matter.
“If you’re going to have a K-9 to work
narcotics, you’re going to have to have a dog out there that can work
every single day...and when I saw Nikki about a week ago, she’s not
able to do that,” Chief McDaniel said.
Council members then voted in favor of
purchasing another dog.
“She’s (Nikki) retired to me, right?”
Kluge said. “That’s on the books?” Several council members then said
yes.
Council members also addressed an agenda
item regarding a $1,684.37 water bill received by Trent Thomas for
property on Ham St. The bill, for a 30 day period between July 15 and
August 15 of 2006, showed that 280,700 gallons was used. Thomas had
discussed the bill with the council at a previous meeting, and at that
time they agreed to send the water meter to be tested.
“The results are back,” Mayor Owen said,
“and it looks like the meter is working correctly.”
Thomas then presented council members
with data provided by “Green, Green, Green” of Amarillo, which showed
the water usage for normal daily activities, including: five gallons
per flush; four gallons used while brushing teeth; 36 gallons used per
bath, etc.
“Last September, there were five people I
let stay there,” Thomas said, “they were refugees from Louisiana.” He
went on to say that for the entire time the people stayed in his home,
the water bill was at, or near, the minimum charge each month.
“They lived there until June 1,” Thomas
said, “and then they went back to Louisiana.”
Thomas then noted that, “it’s nearly
impossible” for the amount of water for which he’d been charged to go
through his meter in 30 days, even though he did allow several people
to stay in the house for three days during the Peach and Melon
Festival. He referred again to the data he’d presented on water usage.
He also noted that the property had been examined for possible leaks.
“I don’t like coming here and wasting
your time,” Thomas said, “I know you have other things to do. But, I’m
sure that if anyone here got this bill, you’d feel the same way I do.”
He then stated, that he didn’t think he “owed the bill.”
Duncan distributed data that showed how a
significant amount of water could be lost from a leak as small as a
pin point, over time, and several council members mentioned the
possibility of maybe a constantly running toilet having affected the
bill.
After a lengthy discussion, and even
several lengthy silences, council members voted to cut Thomas’ bill in
half, to $842.19, which included waiving a meter reconnect fee of $50,
and the $75 meter testing fee. Councilman Johnnye Howell voted against
cutting the bill.
Mayor Owen noted prior to the vote that
he expected his “phone to ring a lot” over the issue, with people
calling in regards to past water bill related council decisions, but
that he would, “Go along with whatever the council decided.”
In other business, council members:
• Accepted the resignations of police
officer Richard Hyatt, city employee Gaylon Fleming and Jamie Welch,
assistant city secretary. Hyatt’s resignation letter, dated October
23, noted he was leaving (effective immediately) for personal reasons.
Fleming was quoted as saying city work was not what he wanted to do.
Welch said that she was leaving to pursue opportunities at Ballenger
and Associates, and volunteered to continue to help in any way needed
on the park project. Council person Norma Locke and Mayor Owen
expressed their regret at Welch’s departure.
• Approved the minutes for the October
12, 2006 meeting.
• Tabled action on an agenda item
described as “Wilson property request by Burl Cogburn” pending results
of a council request for the owner to fund a survey. City Attorney
Lois Rockefeller said that the property in question had been deeded
twice, (once to the city) years ago, and Burl Cogburn explained that
the homeowner was now trying to sell the property.
• Approved moving the “lawn mower pull”
from a site on Reynosa to the west end of the city “truck parking lot”
on Alamante Street, due to the Reynosa property being for sale.
• Approved installing up to three speed
bumps in front of the DeLeon Elementary School, with Rob Duncan,
public works administrator, coordinating the exact placement with
school officials.
• Approved the 2006 Tax Roll.
• Heard a report on the activities with
the Parks and Wildlife grant, presented by Jamie Welch. Among other
items, Welch noted that the electrical work on the RV park was
progressing at a good pace and that gates had been cut at the east end
of the festival grounds for the tractor pull area. It was also noted
that “the (loan) money should be here November 2.” |
