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An increase in water and sewer rates was
one of the items approved at the most recent City Council meeting,
Thursday, August 23, 2007.
All council members -- Howard Gifford,
Norma Locke, Roy Dale Freeman and Gayle Stroud were present for the 6
p.m. meeting. Also present were Mayor Danny Owen City Secretary Karen
Wilkerson; Police Sgt. Dustin Paulsen; and Comanche County Emergency
Management Coordinator, Ray Helberg.
Two separate ordinances were approved for
the utility increase -- one for solid waste rates, and one for water
and sewer fees.
Mayor Owen noted that the increase was
due, in part, to an increase in what the city pays for water from the
Upper Leon River Municipal Water District. There was also discussion
several months ago about the need to increase the rates to help offset
the cost of bringing the waste water treatment plant into compliance
with state regulations.
With the new ordinances, the water rates
increased by 20 percent, and the sewer rate increased by $2.
The fee for solid waste (trash) collection and disposal increased by
20 percent, which for residential customers would mean an increase to
$17.46. The new rates will be effective October 1, 2007.
Council members also voted to discontinue
sending a second (final) notice for water and sewer accounts. Until
now, each customer received a bill on the first of the month, and
those who hadn’t paid by the 10th of each month received a second
notice, with an additional late fee of 10 percent. Mayor Owen noted
that many cities have discontinued a second notice, and that the
savings, just in postage, would be $1,200 per year.
Several Council members expressed concern
regarding residents who might simply forget to pay a bill, especially
the elderly, and a decision was made to have water department
personnel offer courtesy calls for several months.
Prior to the water rate issue, DeLeon
resident Cody Hodges appeared before the Council regarding a
fundraiser tractor pull at the new Community Park.
“The tractor pull committee approached me
during the Peach and Melon Festival,” Mayor Owen said, “and asked
about having a fundraiser to raise additional money to help pay for
what they needed at the new tractor pull grounds. I told them that it
was still pretty primitive out there, and that we’re a long way from
being ready...and it was apparent that there were resources they could
obtain, and rent, to do this. But one of the concerns was, that if
they were going to have tractor pull and pickup pull fundraisers that
the money didn’t go in the general account, or to the RV park. I can
appreciate their concern. I told them we would put this on the
agenda.”
Owen then invited Hodges to speak.
“This will be the City’s tractor pull,”
Hodges said, “but we’re willing to do the leg work. We’re going to be
putting in a lot of time and effort, and we just wanted to make sure
the money goes for the new tractor pull area out there. There’s lots
that needs to be done, you need lights -- that’s the main thing. Up
north they will pull them at one o’clock (in the afternoon) but it’s
not 115 degrees up there either. Here we need to be able to do it
later. It’s too hot. You can’t do that during the day here, you
wouldn’t have anybody show up.”
After a brief discussion regarding the
fundraiser pull, and what all was needed at the new tractor pull area,
Council members approved the pull -- for the last Saturday in
September -- and assured Hodges that money raised from the event could
be set aside specifically for the new tractor pull area.
Several Council members expressed their
appreciation to the Tractor Pull Association for their efforts.
The following people participated in the discussion between city
employees and city officials:
• Mayor Owen noted that work was
progressing at the new park. “Yesterday they finished pouring the
concrete from the ticket booth to the amphitheater,” he said. “Rob’s
been moving more dirt, up around the tractor pull area, where they can
finish the ramps and a short sidewalk on the north side of the track.
Today, Miller’s Nursery was here putting
in the crepe myrtles and oak trees (at the RV park) that they -- Sid
Miller -- so kindly donated.” Owen then noted that sealcoating had
been applied on Reynosa and a small portion of McKinney. “So we’ve had
a lot of positive things happen this week,” he said. “We’re making
headway.”
• Councilperson Gayle Stroud noted that
in her daily walks she noticed that “more and more people are tending
to their yards -- and it’s looking better.”
•Councilman Howard Gifford suggested that
in addition to a tractor pull fundraiser, that perhaps a homemade ice
cream contest, along with local musical entertainment, might generate
interest and funds for the park. That idea was discussed, debated and
considered, but no final decision was made. “I just wanted to throw
that kind of wild idea out there,” Gifford said.
• Karen Wilkerson announced that her
office had received several compliments on the appearance of the
cemetery. She also announced that Commissioner Jimmy Dale Johnson had
informed her that, “the County was going to match the City’s (funding)
portion of the City/County Library.”
• Ray Helberg, Comanche County Emergency
Management Coordinator, announced that he had received DeLeon’s
“Preparedness Profile” with Emergency Management, and that DeLeon was
still in the advanced stage of preparedness. “That’s the highest you
can go,” he said. |
