Jennifer Perry Middleton
Jefferson Jimplecute
The City of Jefferson’s City Council approved the final street closings for the Krewe of Hebe’s 2022 Mardi Gras Upriver Parades during their regular meeting Tuesday.
The Doo-Dah Parade will be held at 7 p.m. February 25, the Grand Parade will be held at 2 p.m. February 26 and the Children’s Parade will be held at 2 p.m. February 27. All the routes will be held in Downtown Jefferson, with handicap parking spaces at the bank and vendors set up in the parking lot of the Marion County Courthouse. The Jefferson Convention & Visitor’s Center parking lot will also be available for law enforcement and overflow parking for the events.
Council also approved clearing the street of vehicles in front of the Excelsior Hotel during the parade, as it is a danger for large floats if cars are parked on both sides of the street.
Councilman Richard Turner said he had been talking with Jefferson Chief of Police Florentino Perez about the issue and that signs will be put on the vehicles prior to the event and if they aren’t moved, they will be towed.
Mayor Rob Baker also told the council he was looking into a new derelict housing policy for the city. He said that the City of Marshall had recently passed an ordinance where the derelict homes are registered and notifications given to the owner about fines incurred.
“I’ve received lots of feedback and we will look into putting one in place that works,” Baker said. “We may piggyback and partner with them on how we can best write a good piece of legislation for our town.”
Baker also told the council that the deadline to file for a place on the May 7 general election ballot is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18 and that the application has to be reviewed by the city secretary.
As of Tuesday’s meeting, Baker was running unopposed for mayor, with Michelle Fox-Davis and Hollis Shadden filing for Ward 1, James Parsons and Will Thomas filing for Ward 2 and April Taylor Johnson filing for Ward 3.
Laura Omer also took the podium and told the Council that the Historic Jefferson Foundation’s lighting project at the Sterne Fountain was complete with LED lights.
Council members also approved a lengthy consent agenda, which included minutes from the Jan. 18 and Jan. 21 meetings, along with the Feb. 1 public hearing and special meeting.
Several event applications were also approved, including the April 15-16 Outlaw Nationals Car Show, the Sept. 16-17 Fourth Annual Antique Tractor Show and the Oct. 7-9 East Texas Burn Run.
Building permits were also approved for the Toys for Tots/Krewe of Hebe on the corner of Washington and Lafayette, the Kurt Gaar building on the corner of Friou and Clay, Jeffery Mark Ponder Investment Trust building behind the southeast side of the existing building on Lafayette and adjoining Bateman’s Alley and the Chamber of Commerce’s building permit for improvements to the old police station on East Austin.
Other items also included amending the effective date of the police chief’s salary increase from Feb. 1 to the pay period at the time of approval, which was Jan. 23-Feb. 5 and renewal of a 60-month contract with Pitney Bowes for updated equipment.
Council members also discussed and tabled an agenda item for repair to Anthony Fry’s curbs and driveway entrance on Alley Street. The issue is that there are problems with the curbing of the front sidewalk to the street and that it is broken and a trip hazard. The area has been patched many years ago and that it’s a city drainway causing damage to the driveway entryway.
Councilman Turner said it gave him “heartburn” to consider the city paying for something that is the property owner’s responsibility.
“If we do this, we are going to open a big can of worms,” he said.
Baker told the council that if they did repair it, that there would have to be a similar scenario for them to repair any other driveway or sidewalk. It was tabled so the members could further study the issue and the costs involved before making the decision whether or not to repair it.
Paul Moore also spoke to the Council about their renewing the lease for using the former police department building on Austin Street and said they are putting in a deck and making indoor improvements for a cost of $10,300. He said they are holding fundraisers and have been paying the electricity to the building. The Council approved a three-month extension to the contract for it to be modified and come back for final approval.
City sign placement was also on Tuesday’s agenda, with Council approving a No Parking sign in the turn around area at the boat ramp and the replacement of a Stop sign on Marshall Street, northbound at Lake Street. People have been parking at the boat ramp and taking up space vehicles and boat trailers need to turn around and back in at the boat ramp. Council discussed that the Stop sign had possibly been taken down during some construction projects and just hadn’t been put back up after those were completed.
Members approved using Traylor and Associates for grant and project administration services for the U.S. Department of Treasury’s American Rescue Plan and Schaumburg and Polk, Inc. for engineering services related to the ARPA funds.
In final action Tuesday, Council authorized the Texas Department of Transportation to erect signs changing the speed limit on U.S. Hwy 59 from Jefferson Street to past the last CEFCO truck driveway. Baker said TXDOT recently conducted an engineering study and traffic survey and recommended the changes. They include extending the limits of the existing 55 mph zone of State Highway 49 farther to the south of Jefferson Street, pushing the 55 mph zone past the last CEFCO truck driveway. Currently, it extends just past the first truck driveway to the north. The sign changes will be done at no cost to the city.