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Although several items were tabled
pending further review during the most recent DeLeon City Council
meeting, each item generated considerable discussion, making for a
somewhat lengthy meeting.
All council members -- Howard Gifford,
Norma Locke, Avery Carlisle, Roy Dale Freeman, Gayle Stroud and
Mayor Danny Owen -- were present for the March 27, 6 p.m. meeting.
Also present were Police Chief Ralph Dickey, Sgt. Dustin Paulsen,
Emergency Management Coordinator Ray Helberg, Public Works
Administrator Rob Duncan, and City Secretary Karen Wilkerson.
One of the more interesting items of the
night came further down the agenda when Mayor Owen and Chief Dickey
informed the council that the most recent K-9, Hannah, was “put
down” recently after suffering for sometime with the effects of lead
poisoning.
“Hannah basically had the same kind of
illness that our other K-9 (Niki) had,” Mayor Owen said, “and that
was lead poisoning. The vet said it could have come from anywhere.
So with the dog’s health issues it was recommended that we put her
down, so we did.”
Mayor Owen said the dog was insured. “We
did everything possible for her, but the long-term use of the dog
was not going to be an option because any kind of strenuous activity
just caused more health problems for her,” he said. When Niki was
diagnosed with liver failure (believed to be from lead poisoning)
she was retired to the care of then DeLeon officer Robert Kluge.
Kluge, the handler for both Niki and Hannah, has since resigned from
the DPD and now works for Gorman.
Chief Dickey discussed his concerns about
the K-9 program with the council.
“Six or eight months ago, Ben (Rowell)
had an opportunity to take a job elsewhere that paid a lot more
money,” Dickey said. “The reason he stayed here was to be the K-9
officer, and I think he’ll be good at it. He stayed, but he was
given a dog that could no longer work. We’ve scheduled him for
school several times, and it’s been canceled. From what I
understand, the most recent one cannot be canceled or we will lose
$1,000 that has already been paid.”
There was then a general discussion
between council members and police officers on the unusual
circumstances -- two dogs both suffering from lead poisoning -- and
the insurance policy, and even the need for the K-9 program.
Most everyone agreed that the program,
with a dog in good health, was a valuable crime-fighting tool. But
Mayor Owen expressed some concerns. “I’m not against having a K-9
dog,” he said. “But it’s kind of like we’ve been to the drinking
well twice, and got a dog with similar symptoms. I don’t know why,
or where it’s coming from, but I would request if we get another
dog, that we have our vet do a check-up before we pay any more
money.” Everyone agreed with that idea, and any action was tabled
pending contact with the kennel. (It was determined later that the
Hannah was insured for the full replacement value.)
During the Citizen’s Presentation portion
of the meeting, Ken Harriss, the new area operations manager for
ONCOR Electric Delivery, introduced himself to the council.
“Don’t hesitate to call me if you have
any questions or concerns,” Harriss said. “I’d be more than happy to
do anything I can.”
Linda Levens, the new executive director
of the DeLeon Chamber of Commerce also took the opportunity to
introduce herself to the council.
“We look forward to working with you and
the chamber,” Mayor Owen said to Levens. “Hopefully we can get a lot
of exciting things going here in DeLeon.”
“I hope so too,” Levens said, “I’m
looking forward to that happening.”
Maria Ramirez, who lives at the corner of
Oak Ave. and Houston St. then addressed the council regarding a
travel trailer on her property. Ramirez said more than once that she
wanted everything to be legal, and that she wanted the council’s
approval before she did anything. There is currently a city
ordinance prohibiting travel trailers as permanent residences.
A lengthy discussion, and some confusion,
ensued as to whether Ramirez planned to actually live in the
trailer, but it eventually appeared that she planned to let
relatives stay there while they were going through a “rough time.”
There was then some confusion as to just how long the rough time
might last. Ramirez said if the council granted her permission to
leave the travel trailer in her yard, she planned to connect it to
city sewer and water. Karen Wilkerson at one point made copies of
the current city ordinance for the council, and read a portion of
the ordinance, including the following, to Ramirez:
“No travel trailer or recreational
vehicle shall be connected to city water except temporarily to fill
water tanks.” There was also a portion of the ordinance that said
that travel trailers and recreational vehicles could be used as a
habitation during the construction of a primary residence, but
required a permit issued by the city.
Council member Gayle Stroud said she
hated to set a precedent by allowing Ramirez to have the trailer on
her lot, and Mayor Owen cited safety concerns.
“I think the primary concern here,” Owen
said, “is the overall safety of an individual living in a travel
trailer as a residence. It primarily doesn’t meet the codes that
most residential housing is required to meet. If it were an
occasional thing, I wouldn’t have as much concern as someone living
in it full time. I know it’s an easy fix, but I’m not sure it’s in
the best interest of everybody involved.” Mayor Owen would later
express concern over the problems with electricity to the travel
trailer, noting that to run an electrical cord from the main
dwelling could be very dangerous.
Councilman Roy Dale Freeman expressed
some concerns about safety issues too, but also noted that neighbors
might object if the trailer were to lower the value of their
property.
Ramirez later said she’d talked to two of
her neighbors, and that they had “no problems” with her plan.
“I would say try to find another way,”
Freeman said to Ramirez.
“I think that if you put it in like a
permanent residence,” Stroud said, “it’s not going to meet state and
local safety codes.”
“Those things are just not meant to be
permanent dwellings,” Freeman said. “I know some people might say
that it should be a personal choice…but we do not want to start a
modern-day tent city, because you’re devaluing the (nearby)
property.”
“I think we can waive things some times,
for a short-term fix,” Stroud said, “for like a month, or six weeks
or something, but…”
“The only concern I had was when she said
it was going to be hooked up to city water and sewer,” Wilkerson
said.
“Right,” Stroud said, “because that makes
it a permanent resident.”
Chief Ralph Dickey also expressed concern
over the fact that travel trailers of that make (a 1976 Terry
trailer) might have aluminum wiring, which has been deemed unsafe.
At one point, with Freeman trying to
discreetly inquire as to why Ramirez thought she might need to offer
housing to family members, Ramirez noted that her English was “not
very good.”
There was then further discussion, and
attempts at clarification, of the ordinance in general.
“This brings up a topic we’ve discussed
before,” Councilman Gifford finally said, “that I’m kind of torn in
the middle on. Not everybody can afford to go buy a $20,000 house to
live in. Not everybody can afford to make a $10-15,000 addition to
their home to make more space for family, or visitors, or whatever.
And that’s where I’m torn. Just because their life has not been as
fortunate as mine, why should I say that what they’re wanting to
live in is sub-standard housing, just because it’s sub-standard to
me. It almost comes down to a situation where if you’ve got the
neighbors – the people in the neighborhood that knows the woman, and
knows the family – and they’re okay with it, and they know that
she’s got a small house, and she takes care of her house, and takes
care of her lot, then they’d have reason to believe that she’s going
to take care of this trailer too.”
Gifford said that although he found it
sad to say, “there are a lot of homes within the DeLeon city limits
that are not safe homes to live in.”
“And just because this is a 30-year-old
travel trailer doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be any
more unsafe than some of our other residences,” Gifford said. “I’m
not saying this is something we should approve, but I’m torn in the
middle on this.”
“I’m torn too, Howard,” Stroud said, “but
I know it will set a precedent for other people.”
Gifford again asked questions of Ramirez,
trying to determine whether someone would be living in the trailer
full-time.
Eventually, Gifford said, “At this point,
according to the ordinance, we can’t approve it anyway because it’s
not going to be used as a residence while they’re constructing or
repairing an existing home. I know my time is short (on the council)
but that may be an ordinance that we might want to look at
addressing in the future, to see if we can better accommodate the
people who want to live in DeLeon. And in this particular case, the
woman has a good heart and wants to be able to offer help to her
relatives until they can get on their feet. And most of us, at some
point in our lives, have been in a time where it would have been
very fortunate to have somebody with that kind of heart.”
Gifford said that in the last few years,
since he’s been a DeLeon resident, he has seen numerous examples of
it being a generous and giving town.
“And I don’t want to think that our
ordinance may be preventing some of that from taking place,” Gifford
said.
“I don’t know,” Stroud said. “I do see
both sides of it, but I think once we open this up, we’re setting a
precedent. I wouldn’t deny anybody a place to live.”
Councilman Freeman said he didn’t see
anything wrong with an emergency ‘temporary’ situation, but that he
didn’t think that setting up housekeeping and living in a travel
trailer full-time was what DeLeon wants.
After still more discussion, council
members tabled the item until the council meeting on April 10, at
which time a translator will be present for Ramirez. That two week
period will also give council members a chance to consult with the
city attorney as to the proper course of action.
“We want to help you,” Councilman Freeman
assured Ramirez before she left.
Next up on the agenda was an item
described as “discuss and consider opening sealed bids for solid
waste disposal for City of DeLeon.” Only one bid was received, from
IESI, DeLeon’s current solid waste disposal service, and two
representatives from that company were present for the opening of
bids. After a brief discussion, including noting that complaint
calls have dropped off somewhat in recent weeks, council members
voted to table any action pending review of the proposed IESI
contract. The item is scheduled again for the April 24 council
meeting.
In other business, council members:
• Approved the payment of termite
extermination fees for the Reunion Center.
• Approved the minutes for the March 13,
2008 council meeting.
• Approved appointment of Gayle Stroud as
delegate to the Texas Midwest Community Network Council, with Linda
Levens as alternate.
• Heard a report on racial profiling,
with no problems noted.
In the open discussion between city
officials and staff, it was noted that Rob Duncan, the public works
administrator, and his crew and the contractor, have completed work
on the new lift-station for the sewage on East Ross street. Several
residents there have experienced sewage problems in the past, and it
is hoped that the new $30,000 station will solve those problems.
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