Staff Reports
The Jefferson City Council considered special event permits, a waiver of late water bill fees and the resignation of city secretary Doris Hines during their regular meeting Tuesday evening.
There was a bit of discussion regarding the special event permits for the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards scheduled for October 14-17.
Ward 2 Alderman Robin Moore, who works in the insurance industry, told the organization’s representative, Preston Taylor, that the group needed to acquire a certificate of liability insurance for the event for this year and last year’s event. Taylor told the council that this was the third year for the event and that each year they had gotten insurance online through Lloyd’s of London and had included the printout given to them by the company in their special event application.
Moore stated that the printout wasn’t enough and that the city needed the actual certificate in hand at least 10 days prior to the event.
“This doesn’t feel like you’re supporting special events in our town,” Preston said. “Trying to get last year’s certificate is ridiculous.”
Moore said she wasn’t trying to nitpick and that the certificate of insurance is one of the requirements on the application and will keep the city from being involved in future litigation.
“If we have one loss and there’s no insurance in place, they’re going to sue the city, they’re going to sue you and they’re going to sue everyone that’s involved.” Moore said.
The council then went on to approve the application pending their receiving the certificate of insurance and did not require last year’s certificate. They also will require Lyle Spellings, the owner of the “beer garden” who is providing services during the event to provide a certificate of liability, as well, if beer is to be served.
The council also approved special event applications for the Taste of Jefferson, to be held Octobter 17 and for the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus, sponsored by the Jefferson Lion’s Club, to be held October 19-20. These were approved pending the council’s receiving certificates of insurance from the organizations.
It was determined that Lions Club International covers a certificate of insurance for the club’s involvement with the circus and that someone would reach out to the circus representatives to get their event certificate. The Marion County Chamber of Commerce’s general liability insurance was determined to be adequate for Taste of Jefferson. The participant serving alcohol at Taste of Jefferson will also be required to provide certificates of insurance prior to the event.
Mayor Rob Baker said the council is working on streamlining some of the city’s processes and that this was a good example of those.
“We need to button up a lot of processes and this is one of them,” he stated.
The council also agreed to waive late fees on the latest round of water bills sent by the city, as they were delivered late, and for some not at all. Baker said the problem lies with mail service in Shreveport, because the city’s mail is routed there and then distributed locally.
“This is not the first time this has happened here,” Baker said, adding that there were at least 20 people who didn’t get a bill or received it late.
The council agreed that they need to update the system to allow the city’s water users to call in or make a payment online.
Baker said they are pursuing that idea and considering the cost. Once they determine that, he said it would then be placed on the agenda for discussion and/or approval.
In other business, a motion to accept the resignation of City Secretary Doris Hines did not receive a second. The item was originally placed on the consent agenda, but was then brought forward for discussion by Council Member Jim Finstrom.
Finstrom asked Hines what happened leading up to her resignation. Hines, who has been with the city for more than 40 years, said that there was a public argument with the mayor, who claimed she was not telling the truth about whether three days was 72 hours following the special election results announcement. The city is required to canvass the votes within 72 hours. They then talked to the election judge, who said they could legally hold it the day Hines had told the mayor. She also said that she had come in the office wet one day after she had been caught in the rain and that the mayor told her to “shake it off like a dog.”
“That was my last resort,” Hines said. “I am not a dog.”
Baker stated that he did not believe his actions were disrespectful at all and that he did not believe they were arguing about the 72-hour issue and that he has apologized for having the debate. He also said he did not remember calling her a dog.
“If that’s what I said I apologize, but I clearly don’t remember saying that,” he said.
During the discussion, Finstrom asked her if she would withdraw her resignation and she said that she would not.
Baker then asked for a motion to accept her resignation and after a few seconds, Council Member Jamey Parsons said he would make the motion “with regret.”
There was no second to the motion.
Baker stated that according to state law, that eight days after a resignation is submitted, it is not relevant whether the council accepts it or not as it automatically becomes effective.
He went on to say that Hines’ resignation was accepted by the City of Jefferson.
The council also approved a $15,237 bid from Heartland Park and Recreation, LLC, for installation of new playground equipment at Lions Club Park.
It will include a clubhouse, a frog bouncer, a horse bouncer, treated wood borders and playground wood fiber. The quote does not include demolition of the current structure, which was built and donated by Billy Ramsey and Citizens for a Better Community for Marion County a few years ago.
The new equipment is being placed due to the previous equipment not being OSHA approved and that the stipulations are strict on the types of equipment public facilities provide, the equipment also has not been completely installed causing confusion for children wishing to use it.
The council agreed to contact Ramsey and give him the opportunity to take back the structure prior to the installation of the new equipment. They also agreed that in the future, they will get the swings fixed in the other parks and a few other things out of the remainder of this year’s budget and that a new set of equipment would be looked at for the other park out of the next year’s fiscal budget.
Council members also renewed an annual interlocal agreement with the East Texas Council of Governments for 911 database management. The cost is $1,150.10.
Mayor Baker also said that the city’s Diversity Committee would meet Thursday and that last week’s meeting of the Citizen Action Committee went well.
“It was a successful first launch and we just need to continue that momentum and get more people involved,” he said.
The board then went into executive session after which no action was taken.
A budget workshop was then held following the meeting. The council considered the police budget and the water and sewer budgets during this time.
Jefferson Police Chief Florentino Perez told the council that the budget was including a proposed new police officer and a 3% raise for all employees. He said they currently have six officers, which is not enough to cover shifts for sickness or vacation. He added that the department had an increase in overtime due to officers covering shifts of those not at work and that the overtime funds could be used for an additional officer.
Perez told the council that during the Fourth of July Independence Celebration, the department spent $1,000 in overtime for officers to cover the event.
“With seven members it will allow us to cut back on the overtime,” he said. “The additional officer would be able to cover the other shifts.”
The department also needs a new police vehicle, Perez told the council. He said that the older vehicles have been going out, and that equipment has been replaced on them, along with other mechanical repairs. He said he was looking at a new vehicle that costs $60,000 fully equipped and turnkey ready for the department, complete with signage and stickers. There is also the option to lease two vehicles for $45,000 per year, he told the council.
The vehicles would be provided by Defender Supply, which is part of a co-op in Titus County and allows departments to get the vehicles at a lower rate.
“It is a fair price,” Perez said. “I am confident in their work.”
The council also looked at the street and water/sewer budgets for 2021-22.
Baker said he had allocated $50,000 in grant funds, as the city could possibly secure matching grants for street and city improvements. He added that these grants are often matching grants and that these funds would be made available for the match.
A 3% raise is also included in the budgets for the departments.
The water/sewer budget is projected to be $1.47 million for the upcoming year, compared to $1.547 in the current budget. Baker said this is due to water and sewer revenue declining for the past two years and the budget reflects his expectation of that that amount to continue to decline in the upcoming year.
Ha also said the council can move line items throughout the year and that they are working to have a plan in place in advance for larger projects that need to be done on a consistent basis.
The council will hear from the Friends of Jefferson Animals and the Tourism Board next week. They will then set the tax rate and hold two sessions for public comment before they set the final budget.
“It looks like we are in good shape,” Baker said. “We can soon start having debates to vote on additional line items to put in the budget and then have a consensus moving forward.”