Here is no internet in downtown Jefferson tonight so I’ll post updates here as I can and will post a recorded video later tonight (about an hour after the meeting is over)
This is going to be in a notes format for now.
Public Comment:
- Jim Morris-correct address on application
- Jeff Sofich – P&Z: 2/12 years waiting and nothing been accomplished; I think P&Z a joke, what ordinances is [Tino] going to enforce? All turn neighbor against neighbor; stay focused on water/sewer/cleanup, moving Jefferson forward, not on your own agendas. City has tons of problems, ask that before you just vote on these things, … things not getting done.
- Bob Sanders- supporting Hattie Hackler as NETMWD; invite council, press, George to ranch to show you how the water affects the ranch. To show how watershed works. Important to timber, cattle business,; currenting transforming from draught to rain, perfect time to see bayou in this change; tour takes 40-45 minutes – see sink hole, river at 20cf and high water mark, warm water fish habitat (spawning area for many), water discharge into bayou w/2-300 year old trees that died during draught and why they died an others didn’t; 6p W/R/F, across railroad tracks on 2208 on right. Attorney feedback (meeting, etc, not on agenda, etc, limited actions can be taken)
- Sharilyn Parr – water. Coming to take it (state/region C); decision tonight on director 1 water, and 2 to city; never be an instance where CC not aware of …..; appoint Hattie
- Amanda Limoges – Say Thank You (6H candy crawl) for consideration of the event
- John Fortune – grew up in area, moved back; support of Hattie Hackler; will work without bias. Encourage Council to appoint Hackler to NETMWD; if vote delayed, I’ll be back each month until it is.
- Bryan Parr – Last month I went to Avinger meeting, they reinstated Jack Salinger. There was someone who had a lot of support, like Hattie does here. I went to thank Jack and he told me he looked forward to working with me. Hattie is best choice as she has water experience. the other has experience in politics and insurance. with all the facts, figures, numbers, it can be very conusing. rather have someone representing Jefferson who understands adn history of understanding water, rather than someone’s buddy. Still trying to figure out who [Jack] mistook me for. BUt the way he was appointed, and this appointment delayed, is very similar.
- Nelson Roach – Support of Hattie. You’re decision, but address some questions/concerns raised about her. (1) All she cares about is Caddo Lake – if I thought that, I wouldn’t be advocating for her. she understands it’s an interconnected ecosystem, and what happens on headwaters of big cypress creek has an impact; (2) not a business person, etc. current exec director is also a chief financial officer of NETMWD; if she couldnt’ do her job I’d be worried. (3) hattie knows water. remember year and a half ago, NETMWD propsed something that this body sasid it opposed via resolution. Hattie knows what questions to ask about water that are not being asked at NETMWD meetings. it is the most passive board i’ve ever seen. urge you to appoint Hattie Hackler
- Hattie Hackler – make somehting clear. if appointed to NETMWD i will vote according to wishes of Jefferson, not my personal preferences, pressure from other board members, or convenient for district. if city dtermis sale is best interset, I will support. role is not to substitute my viewpoint. each of you serves as a representative of city of jefferson, hope that when issues of concern arise, council willing to follow express will of people. I bring perspective and experience for the city of jefferson; I work for Caddo Bio Alliance not for CLI. spent last 3 years on Region B water group. experience taught me to ask right questions. value is not that i claim to have every answer, but to ask the right questions. NETMWD created to serve communities of NETexas. jefferson deserves someone who undersands the issues and can ask the questions
- Laura Ashley Overdyke – for last 9 years I’ve run CLI, and vast majority of that had incredibly great partnership with all our partners in area. But CLI goes back 33 years. lately shoking to me that either it’s our work or jus tme how CLI has been vilianized or twisted. on behalf of [everyone] who has dedicated their lifes work to science and data, on their behalf, of whatever dislike is happening does not rub off on them.
- Â Trish Jones – Live on Caddo Lake. resident of Uncertain, and me and all of my neighbors will be greatly impacted by sale of water from LOP. two questions. 1) is VP really eligible for this position. Fire Marshall shall be an employee of the City and report…state laws prohibits employee of City; 2) have. you ever asked yourself why NETMWD is promoting Mr. Perot? why want someoenne with zero experience of water when there is a person with experience. I spent 30 years in education hiring teachers for our schools. wouldnt’ you question me if [made similar choice]. jefferson only city of 7 cities that is downstream of LOP. it depends on healthy bayou for tourism. In Jefferson’s best interest to have someone to ask right questions and bring that to you.
Presentations by NETMWD (George Otstott): Correct couple of things. Victor resigned from Fire Dept today, and when he was Mayor, he had difficulty of running water treatment plant, so intimitatly involved in moving water from here to NETMWD; Currnetly above flood elevation (228.5). little rain yesterday, not a lot, but will see in river here as levels come up. who knows what fall will bring, prognosis is very very wet. 228.5 is exactly where we’re supposed to be. focus on cost effective service. working on next budget, next meeting is this coming 29th. budget meetings between now and then. last and final uquarterly report as your representative on NETMWD. Never had experience with water when I joined. Iv’e told you the biggest asset this city owns is the water in LOP. Doug: Thank you for your service.
6. Consent Agenda: Bubba: reason it is .43% is we are overfunded on retirement. Bubba/April Taylor Johnson 6-0
7. Action items
- A. Buidling Permit for Tirclkle down land and timber (Carport) BH/Hollis Shadden Discussion? Melissa Boyd, I put wrong address. 6-0
- B. Buidling Permit at 410 N Vale for single-family residence: ATJ/HS 6-0
- C. Wheels on Bayou event application. MB: But in action so he wouldnt’ have to abstain, but told he does not have to abstain as long as he doesnt receive 10% of his income from the event (per attorney); HS: I dont’ profit one bit, cotst me to do these events. it’s done through a 501c. Doug Thompson/ATJ 5-0-1(HS)
- D. Big Cypress Corvette Weekend. DT/ATJ 5-0-1 (HS)
- E. Establishing a pyament plan option for Utility Customers: Kimberly Parsons put on agenda. Came aware last week and what is happening is someone has a waer line break on their property and they have a big surprise bill. right now don’t have options for people to have time to pay it out. Other citys do offer payment plan. concern is have a lot of elderly, fixed and low income. need to pay for water they use, but if we jsut cut it off, it’s putting them at risk. KP: Motiont o direct our staff andattorney to draft a plan for utility pay plan following this meeting. ATJ 2nd motion. Not saying going to happen every month,b ut you never know. KP: specifically one payment play offered to a customer per year. signed agreement, set months to pay out. continue paying regular monthly payments as they go along; if miss a payment of late, plan is cancelled and all due; ATJ: could we do two a year? one per 6-months? KP: can direct to draw up as an option. My thought was for people who have a leak and they don’t discover it right away, so go from $80 bill to $800 bill. MB: minimum? or anyone over normal? Leaks? KP:could create more work for City employees. want to avoid cutoffs, but get our water paid. ATJ: I dont’ think putting a limit on it. if goign to do it, we do it. never know what people are going through. not do every month, but… MB: have to be very careful, but bad winter, and 50% of customers go on payment plan…being dramatic but you never know. what are we going to do when our revenue is already low and get payment plans? KP: what about percentage of normal bill? MB: system will do payment plans, so what you set we need to know what options are so we can present. DT: meters that are not working. when those are put back in service, what happens then? MB: only going forward. Carey Heaster: situation that brought this to table. People knew had problem and they’d fix it when they could. now looking at $1,700 dollars bill; severl years ago, deal worked out with one person, and they still owe use $1,000 or so today. when we go to cut off, they park car over meter box. 2ndthing is when payout situations, we transferred 200k to keep water dept working, if we do it, i’m ok with it, but needs to be an emergency situation strictly. still have some problems when I let it sit there and let it run k nowing its there. KP: I was not provided that information. if turned back on, then it’s criminal. we can come up with scinarios all day where people willabuse, but want sollutino for people tog et bay; CH:situation in past when cut off, and neighbor is sent down to turn water back on in their name. KP: create something for us to LOOK at. MB: send me an email what to look like and we’ll bring back to look at. KP/ATJ 4-2(BH/DT)
- JEDCO grant fro improvements at LIions/Douglass Park. BH: there is maintenance work needs to be done. David Westbrook called attention. Went to same compnay (Playground boss) to give rough cost. Aobut $60k to do both parks. Natural grass is a banned surface for playgrounds. State requires 12″ loose fill, 9″ packed max. KP: banned sustance? under equipment right? DW: yes. BH: as short in budget, council ask JEDCO to fund this to a certain degree – only bid I’ve gotten; DW: can do more with EDC – quality of Life project includes public parks. MB: this is example. BH: mulch and border (safety issues), added swing changes (pivots), this is example in case we need to replace sets as chain clamps migt not fit our current. MB: approve up to certain amount? BH: No, ask JEDCO to fund the park improvements we’re looking at up to certain amount. they can make choice on what to give. DW: been kicking can down road for several years. send letter to members sept 2024 and no response or results, so we budget this money and we don’t make improvements to two parks. got to do it every year to keep aprks up. if been speinding budget of money every year… ATJ: technically spent almost 40k at lions park, and supposed to spend that this eyar at douglass park. we have to focus so much on one park, but have to focus on 2 parks; need to get these things and want children to be safe. if we can ask jedco to do this, i don’t have a problemw ith this. BH: motion request funding from JEDCO and let them decide. I’ll get more information and see how much they want to give us. KP 2nd. Attorney: need to provide an amount as they approve expenditures. MB: also do we have to specify what the project is or leave open? Attorney: can leave open. MB: is this a JEDCO project or City? Attorney: JEDCO needs tod o project or city is responsible for project funding; DT: JEDCO didn’t wnat responsiblity for what you needed. City chose equippemnt, biddger, etc. City ordered. JEDCO paid invoices as they came in. Attorney: city bidding project. if city specify equipment, then postpone item until city can include equipment…then JEDCO approve funding; BH: I’m ready to go now. not delay 1 day. everything is such a big deal. BH: Motion is to ask JEDCO up to 75k for park improvements. ATJ: as long as we’re picking eiqupment, etc., I’m OK with that. i dont’ want us to go and then don’t know what we’re getting. ATJ: 2nd motion. Carey: I agree, like tosee before actually starts what’s going to be in each park so even deal. KP: douglass may need more attention as it’s been negleted. BH: if JEDCO won’t fund it’s elementary anyway. 6-0
- g. Appointments: whoever has apointment other than NETMWD do those first. then NETMWD as 1 item
- Tourism: HS: Emily Kelsey; ATJ: Jennifer Phillips; CH: Anna Bode; PH: Colleen Taylor
- Planning & Zoning: HS: Bobby Carson; ATJ: no one yet; CH John Kelsey
- JEDCO: HS Jim Stacy; ATJ: Porche Johnson; CH: hold off
- Vote all at one time. Motion: KP Motion approve as named HS 2nd 6-0; DT: P&Z I don’t have anyone, so seeking people; CH: anyone intersted in serving, please get iwth us and we’ll help you figure it out.; publicly submitted applications available
- NETMWD: BH: Victor Perot. DT 2nd. 3(BH/DT/HS)-2(ATJ/PH) (KP???)
- h. Building Code adoption 2nd reading. 6:49. Open Public hearing HL: notice requipremnts (Attney: 3 dbiz days only required); BH: interior wall questions. article 1 was already i ncluded, and not reviewed; included all of ch 18 to have combined general section; BH: have several things, will have more questions I’ll forward. MB: if he has a list of questions, should these be reviwed and this tabled tonight? attorney: only review was just adopting the buidling codes. much already in code and we didnt’ foucs our efforts there; nor susstandr structures; if adopt, other codes become effective, then we can focus as andicated. HL: why work? P&Z focus on replacing all of ch 18, so why do this now, instead of just adopting a building code version to use?; BH: update just 18-12 whole thing? No. Also 56-…. fireworks, distance allowed, etc. Attorney: looked at different cities, this is a technical code amendment; MB: P&Z doc is large doc, but don’t have any any residential codes, this is sectgion of tehnical code, P&Z will require more work, mailings, and hearings. Attorney: this is police action, so doesnt’ requrie all of that. recommend hodling off on art 1 and substanrd structure; MB: optiont to table and do revisions and bring back; KP: table and bring back so everyone has time to look. HS 2nd. Carey: I want to get it done. 6-0
Discussion Items
- MB: for fire house, if doing this process with JEDCO, we’re going to have to revisit the fire station, as it’s over 100k, and if we’re managing, then will have to do procurement process. ATJ: do same process across the board; Carey: may want to go back and revisit park deal, if going to do same as Fire dept. MB: we have 2 projects (fire, playground); ATJ: can do moving forward? MB: i have to know how to do my job. DT: thought on same page. on parks; see video. 1:25:00 do park same way as fire dept;
- DT: Signs: resident in ward 2, who is willing to rebuild N side sign, adn they pay for it, would Council accept? MB:
headed to executive session.