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Fireworks were again a topic of
discussion at the most recent regularly scheduled meeting of the
DeLeon City Council, Thursday, July 26, 2007. During a previous
meeting, Officer Robert Kluge had spoken to the Council regarding a
possible conflict of interest involving Judge L.T. Lewis selling fire
works.
All current Council members -- Gayle
Stroud, Roy Dale Freeman, Norma Locke, Mayor Pro Tem Howard Gifford
and Mayor Danny Owen -- were present for the meeting. Also
participating were City Secretary Karen Wilkerson, Police Chief Ralph
Dickey and Comanche County Emergency Management Coordinator Ray
Helberg.
City Judge L.T. Lewis broached the
subject of fireworks during the “Citizen’s Presentation” portion of
the meeting, noting that he’d just like to clarify things.
“We’ve been in that business (fireworks)
since 1983,” Lewis said, “and we’ve had the same ordinance since then.
And every year, I’ve had lots of people ask ‘can we shoot the
fireworks in town?’ and I’ve said, ‘we’ve got an ordinance against it,
but if you do (shoot the fireworks) and an officer comes around, you
need to shut it off, or he will write you a citation and then you’ll
appear before me.’ I’ve told them that for 20 some odd years.”
Lewis said that as many people as he had
told that to through the years, he was sure that 90 percent of DeLeon
had heard it.
“I tell them every year that we do have
an ordinance, and I leave it up to them,” Lewis said. “Why this flared
up this year, I don’t know. This is the wettest year we’ve had in a
long time. There was less chance of a fire, I guess, this year than
there ever has been. When there was a danger of fire, I left mine
closed.”
Judge Lewis then noted that he thought it
was important for the kids to have something to do.
“We don’t have a swimming pool to go to,
a lake to go to, or nothing in town for them to do,” he said. “That’s
one week out of the year, (for the fireworks).”
According to Lewis, warnings were given
in previous years.
“Always before, they’d go around and talk
to them,” Lewis said, “and say ‘you got to shut it off, or we’re going
to take your fireworks’ and out of that 20 something years, I don’t
guess I’ve ever got a ticket in my office for fireworks.”
Lewis said he’d always been honest with
people about there being an ordinance in place.
“I noticed in the speech that Robert
made, he didn’t say a word about me mentioning that there was an
ordinance...,” Lewis said. “Nobody ever told them that it was all
right to come to town and shoot fireworks. We always say, there’s an
ordinance against it, but if you do, here’s what you can expect. I
wanted the council to understand that I wasn’t out there telling them,
‘Hey, y’all go ahead and shoot fireworks in town, and everything’s
going to be all right’ -- because that’s not the way it was done.”
After a few more comments, Lewis noted,
“We can’t take everything away from our kiddoes in town, and expect to
have a town. And that’s definitely what we’re doing. We’re going to
end up...with a bunch of old soreheads and this town can’t keep
operating with a bunch of soreheads. We’ve got to raise our young kids
here and they’ve got to have something to do that one week out of the
year. That’s the way I feel about it, and I don’t think I’m thinking
too far from right.”
Lewis’ wife, Dalia, also present, said
she actually operated the stand and hired the people, and noted that
the Lewis’ weren’t the only ones who sold fireworks.
“And we try to watch who we sell to,” she
said. “We don’t want anybody’s house burnt down...we care, we live
here. We’re not here to hurt anybody.”
“I just wanted to clarify, that I tell
everybody, and always have, that there’s an ordinance against it,”
Judge Lewis said. “I wanted y’all to understand that, before we got
something stirred up here that we couldn’t put out.”
Council members couldn’t respond directly
to the Lewis’ comments, but Mayor Owen noted that he did appreciate
them bringing it to the Council’s attention, and that they did intend
to review the current ordinance and compare it to what some of our
neighboring towns have done. Owen also thanked Lewis for closing his
stand during the extreme dry season, while there was a high fire risk.
Cemetery Maintenance Contract
The contract for cemetery maintenance was
also discussed at length, with Council members noting that seven bids
were received.
Councilman Howard Gifford made two
suggestions early on: hiring a city employee just for cemetery
maintenance, and/or having a 90-120 day trial period “to make sure the
upkeep is up to the standards we’re wanting, before we sign them up
for a one or two year deal.” Council member Norma Locke agreed that
was a good idea.
Gifford said, “Looking at some of these
bids, this might be more work than some of these people realize when
you look at the curbs, fences and uneven terrain. And there’s a lot of
weed-eating to be done in that cemetery.”
In response to a question by Councilman
Freeman, Wilkerson noted that each bidder was given a copy of the
contractual agreement the city had with Charlie Carruth, the previous
caretaker, which outlined in detail what was expected. After further
discussion, most agreed it was still a good idea, for both sides, if
there was trial period.
Mayor Owen said as far as hiring someone
specifically for the job, he thought the cost of the extra equipment
needed, plus the benefits package for the extra employee, would make
it less economically feasible for the city.
Wilkerson noted that representatives of
three of the bids – Sue Parker, Mike Riggs, of Riggs Cemetery Service,
and Jean Williams -- were available in case any of the council members
wished to ask them questions.
Council members did ask Parker and Riggs
numerous questions over the next few minutes, but Williams indicated
she was there only on behalf of her husband.
Several Council members spoke positively
of Parker’s lawn maintenance and landscaping efforts, citing her own
yard (on Texas Street) as one of her better efforts. Parker stated she
also maintained much larger pieces of property.
Council members also indicated that
Riggs’ cemetery experience was a huge positive, and eventually it was
enough for them to vote in favor of awarding a 120-day contract to
Riggs Cemetery Service. After the 120 days, both the City and Riggs
will have an opportunity to review the situation.
Officer Paulsen Promoted
In a series of brief executive sessions,
Council members addressed several Police Department matters including
the promotion of Officer Dustin Paulsen to sergeant. Council members
also removed Officer Ben Rowell from his probationary period, and
moved Officer Waverly Inman from active officer to reserve officer.
Inman was injured in a July 4 motorcycle accident, and at last word
was still being cared for in a healthcare facility in the metroplex.
In other business, Council members:
• Approved the minutes for one regular
meeting, and two called meetings, in July.
• Tabled a request by Isabell Reyna to
“put a trailer in at the corner of Ross and Mosely” pending further
research and information.
• Approved Ordinance #008-07 denying an
Atmos Energy Corporation rate adjustment.
• Tabled a decision on constructing a
private restroom for the Chamber of Commerce office, pending further
research on expense and ADA requirements.
• Approved Resolution #008-07 adopting
the Hazard Mitigation Action Plan.
• Heard an update on the Texas Parks and
Wildlife grant for the new park, in which it was noted that the new RV
park had already reserved one space for the Peach and Melon Festival.
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