The Jefferson City Council voted to increase the pay provided to election judge and clerks so they are mirror the rate paid by the County during Tuesday night’s regular meeting.
“We were disappointed to find out we were being paid less for the same work we performed for the County,” said election judge Pat George. “We found out after the fact and after the work had been completed.”
Jefferson Mayor Rob Baker explained to Council, and to George and the other election personnel present, that it was an oversight on the part of the city due to the differing budget cycles between the County and the City.
“We approved what we had in the past, and they approved a higher amount so we were out of kilter,” said Baker. “A couple of things probably need to happen. One is we address this for this special election and go find the money elsewhere in the budget to go move it to allow it to happen for these people, and secondly, we need to build into this coming budget a rate equal to the county so there’s no discrepancy moving forward.”
Council approved the higher rate 5-0.
Baker announced at the start of the meeting. that the usual May appointments to the Jefferson Economic Development Corporation and the Jefferson Tourism Board are being pushed to June to allow for the completion of the election for the Alderman Ward 2 position. The election earlier in May ended in a tie between incumbent Tyrani Braddock and challenger Robin Moore. The election was set for June 22. Early voting will begin June 10 at City Hall.
Similarly, Council appointed Ward 3 Alderman Ted Dickson as Interim Mayor Pro Tem through the canvassing of the June 22 election. Council will then select a Mayor Pro Tem to serve through the May 2022 election cycle.
Jefferson once again has a City Administrator starting Monday, May 24, as council approved the hiring of Eric Kuykendall. Kuykendall’s contract was discussed at length during the meeting with Ward 3 Alderman Richard Turner posing most of the questions.
Turner’s questions were mostly focused on conditions of termination and the severance provided.
“My issue is, if it’s for unethical, fraudulent manner, then to me that’s a totally different issue, and to allow someone three months salary is ridiculous,” said Turner. “If they can’t find a job within three months then they’re probably not worth it.”
“This is to allow for if anyone is dismissed with cause, there’s still severance provided to help prevent a lawsuit,” said Baker. “This allows for us to put a right foot forward in my view.”
The approved contract, provides for three months of severance, plus an additional week’s salary for every full 12 months of employment, up to a total of six months.
Ultimately, Council made modifications to the Reductions in Benefits section of the contract to allow for a percentage reduction of salary instead of a fixed amount as the reduction is only allowed if it’s applied across the board.
The contract was approved 4-1, with Turner objecting to the contract.
Council tabled discussing and approving the budget submitted by Marion Central Appraisal District as no one was present to discuss it or answer questions. The budget must be approved by a majority of the taxing enties within 30 days of providing it to them. MCAD supplied the budget on May 12, and Council is not scheduled to meet again until June 15. If Council does not specifically reject the budget, it is automatically accepted per Texas Tax Code.
The proposed budget has an increase of $17,464, mostly centered on new mass mailing requirements. MCAD held public hearings on May 12 on the proposed budget according to email accompanying the budget submission. Those notices were published in the Marshall News Messenger, despite the Jimplecute being the newspaper of record for Marion County.
MCAD Chief Appraisor Ann Lummus said she understood that a full year of publication had to occur before she could publish notices and she interpreted that to mean including under new ownership.
Under previous ownership, the County had moved the official paper of record for publishing notices to the Marshall News Messenger as the Jimplecute was not in compliance with publishing requirements. When the Jimpleucte was purchased by Marion County Media last August, it as back in compliance with publishing requirements outlined in Tax Code 2051.044. The Jimplecute has been the officla paper of record for Marion County since late 2020, and all government and taxing entities publish notices in the Jimplecute.
Council took no action, after 30 minutes of discussion, on selling a 28-foot strip of South Willard Street to First National Bank of Trinity or Riverside Bank. During the bank’s process of selling the property, where the feed store was located, it was discovered that a significant portion of the buildings and old scale are inside the street right-of-way.
“The bank owns a brick building that when I was a child was used as a community store,” said Duke Deware. “It was built in the early 1920s. [When we began the sale process and surveyed the property] we discovered a portion of the building was extendded out into the street. it was a surveying error of course. This street is 70-feet wide, and when they built the building they built it like it was a 50 or 60-foot street. Subsequent owners built additional buildings in line with the building in front. the buyer wants to create a vocational school there adn climate controlled storage. But they cannot move forward until this is resolved.”
The debate centered around approximately 18-inches of right-of-way on the street side of the proposal. There are utility poles in the area and Turner indicated he’d prefer to see those utilities remain on City Property. Ward 1 Alderman Jim Finstrom agreed.
Willard Street is on one side of the original Marion County Courthouse, which may account for the wider wideth.
Council indicated to Trinity Bank President Lee Haggard that the survey needed to be redone or revised to adjust for the utilities remaining on City Property. Haggard indicated this change may not allow for the sale to go through as the buyer would like to own all the way to the currently paved area.
In other business, Council approved a lengthly consent agenda which included moving funds from Adminstrative Payroll to fund the purchase of new election equipment; reistating JEDCO’s requirement to partially fund the City Administrator position; various policies and resolutions for TxCDBG #7220211; affirming Baker as the County/City’s representative to ETCOG; monthly and quarterly financial reports; notices of special election and the various appointments of Judge and Alternate Election Judge; establishing early voting periods for the special election; and accepted the resignation of Daniel King from the Streets/Water Department.
Council also approved a Special Event Application for the 39th Annual Candlelight Tour of Homes in December, and a building permit request from Troy Hines to construct 10 parking spaces on his property at109 N. Alley.