|
The decision to “sever all ties with John
McDaniel effective immediately” was arguably the most interesting
decision made by the DeLeon City Council Tuesday night, November 28,
in a meeting which had been postponed from Thursday night, due to the
Thanksgiving holiday.
Councilman Avery Carlisle made the motion
immediately following an executive session for “Evaluation of Police
Chief John McDaniel” and the vote was unanimous. No explanation was
given, and McDaniel left immediately, but during the “accounts
payable” portion of the meeting several purchases made by Chief
McDaniel -- including shotguns, digital cameras and uniforms -- were
discussed, as was the possibility of perhaps returning the items.
These were no indications that these purchases were involved in their
decision to let McDaniel go. Later, Mayor Danny Owen released a brief
statement in which he said McDaniel was discharged during his
probationary period, for “not meeting the City Council’s
expectations.”
Council member Norma Locke left the
meeting just before the 6 p.m. start, due to illness, and Councilman
Carlisle arrived a few minutes late.
The “Citizen’s Presentation” portion of
the meeting featured a bit of controversy as Paula Splawn objected to
the “mobile home park going in.”
“I don’t approve of it, most of the
neighbors are elderly people and they’re never going to move, that’s
their homes,” Splawn said. “And from just what I know about mobile
home parks, we’re asking for trouble. I don’t know Mr. Sturdivant, but
I want to know what his idea is of putting mobile homes in a
residential area. I thought we were living in a single-family
district; not mobile homes, not RVs or camping tents and stuff. And I
strenuously object to it. If necessary, I will get a petition, I don’t
know what kind of influence it will have on this council but you need
to consider it. You don’t live on our side of town. And we have nice
homes, very nice homes. They’re not the richest ones in town, but
they’re nice homes.”
Splawn again stated her objections,
adding that other people were “supposed to be here to object as well”
and that she didn’t know where they were. “But I can’t speak for my
neighbors,” she said, “so I’m only speaking for myself right now, but
I strenuously object. And I will be back for the next meeting, and
hopefully I will get on the agenda.”
Mayor Owen reminded Splawn that since it
was Citizen Presentation, council members could not discuss her
concerns or respond in any way until she did get on the agenda.
Dana Estes also spoke during the Citizen
Presentation portion of the meeting.
“I live in Dublin,” Estes said, “and I’m
a home health nurse. In June, I was at Allsup’s convenience store (in
DeLeon) and in the bathroom I saw a small money holder, and I saw
there was a large amount of money. I asked the attendants if they
recognized it and they said no. I called the police department and
reported this to Ralph Dickey and he came and counted the money, which
was $1,400. He made a report and took the money to the police
department. He said they would run ads in the paper, and that after 90
days, if the money was not claimed, then it would go to me. After 90
days, I went by the police station and Ralph said he’d spoken to the
City Attorney, and that we’d have to wait another 60 days, and run
more ads in the paper. If, after 60 days, the money was not claimed,
the City Council would make the final decision about where the money
would go.”
Estes said she waited 60 more days and
then went back to the police station and asked to speak to Sgt.
Dickey, who was not available.
“I talked to the new Police Chief,” Estes
said, “and he said, bluntly, that no where was it stated or written
that I was entitled to the money, and that he had sent the money off
to the crime lab to be tested for traces of drugs and that if it did
test positive for drugs, the money would be seized by the police
department.”
Estes then said she’d spoken to an
attorney who informed her that nearly all the currency in circulation
today will test positive for traces of drugs.
“I would just like to know what kind of
message this sends to the public,” Estes said. “You try to be honest
and do the right thing. I found the money, I turned it in, and now I’m
being given this run-around...I don’t think it portrays a very good
image.”
Mayor Danny Owen told Estes that she was
welcome to “get on the agenda so we can discuss it.”
“I think there’s still some discussion
with our city attorney on this, also,” Owen said. “Hopefully we can
discuss this and have some kind of conclusion by the next meeting.”
Also on Tuesday night, council members
approved, on first reading, Ordinance #013-06, regarding “vendor
parking” which states, in part: “An ordinance of the City of DeLeon,
establishing restrictions on vendor activities on public streets
within the City of DeLeon; establishing an area where vendor
activities shall be permitted; providing for a penalty and effective
date; and providing a severability clause. Whereas, vendors, at times,
park vehicles and trailers on City streets and operate in locations on
public streets where operation impede or inconvenience the public or
affect private property or access to private property along City
streets, and whereas, specifically, the parking of vendor trailers and
vehicles on the west side of North Houston Street, between Gonzales
and Reynosa streets, has at times in the past created such conditions
along those streets; and whereas, the City Council of the City of
DeLeon, wishing to encourage commercial activity in the City, has now
secured property which will be designated specifically as the area
where vendor parking and selling shall be permitted within the City.”
The ordinance also includes more specific
information on exceptions, including: (a) Residential garage sales
located at the residence of the vendor. (b) Sales of goods, wares and
merchandise donated by the owners thereof, the proceeds of which are
to be used and applied to some charitable, religious or philanthropic
purpose. (c) Sales of goods, wares and merchandise by sheriffs,
constables or other public officers, or to bona fide assignees or
auctioneers, or trustees or receivers regularly appointed. (d) Vendors
participating in special events sponsored by the City and approved by
the City Council.
In other business, Council members:
• Approved the minutes from the November
9 meeting.
• Tabled a request for a street light for
Fair Haven Baptist Church, pending further research.
• Tabled a decision on whether to
purchase a laptop computer for Karen Wilkerson, city secretary,
pending further research.
• Approved, on second reading, Ordinance
#012-06, relating to water and sewer rates for fiscal year 2006-2007.
• Hired Cody Meredith as City employee.
• Voted to set the fee for the new RV
park at $20 per night.
• Heard a report from Wilkerson on
progress at the DeLeon Community Festival Gardens Park in which she
noted, among other things, that Teague Welding had completed the
pavilion. |
