Troup City Council OKs water rate increase
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

A lengthy agenda during Troup's city council meeting Tuesday night yielded several decisions as well as having many items tabled to a later date.

Following a citizen's questions about what the regulations were concerning the drilling of a gas well near a residence, City Administrator Russ Obar did advise the man that South Western Drilling had asked for a meeting with the city concerning the possibility of drilling a well in his vicinity. Obar told the man that he was welcome to attend when the company called back to reschedule a meeting.

Items approved included the acceptance of David Sutton's appointment to the Troup Community Development Corporation. The council accepted Eddie Jasper's resignation from that position.

The council authorized the mayor to sign a resolution accepting the completion of water and sewer upgrades and installations under TCDP Contract #725879.

Next Mayor John Whitsell convened a public hearing on the Youth Curfew Ordinance (2002- 03). No comments were made and the hearing was closed. The council did okay the continuation of the curfew ordinance. With many special exceptions, those 17 and under must be off the streets by 11 p.m. weeknights and by midnight on weekends.

The final plat approval was granted by the council to the Major Holloway subdivision at the SW corner of the intersection of Magnolia and Carolina Streets.

The item concerning HB 621, the bill concerning goods in transit was tabled due to confusion, even among the attorneys, as to how the required public hearings must be held for its consideration.

Also tabled was the item concerning voluntary annexation of a small piece of property within the Roblow Shaw Addition.

The council authorized the mayor to execute an agreement with the Smith County 9-1-1 Communications District to provide emergency dispatch service for the city. The fee for this service is $9,203.84 to be billed and paid quarterly.

Also approved was the interlocal agreement with the City of Tyler regarding aerial photography and the payment of the $2,908.24 of which the TCDC has agreed to pay one-half.

Two items related to the Joey Subdivision were tabled awaiting clarification on exactly how far the city will run the upgrade and extension of water and sewer services to this development.

In keeping with the recommendations made by Dan Jackson, a water consultant with Economist.com, during the water/ wastewater rate study and the long range financial plan study done in late 2006, water and wastewater rates for all customers of the City of Troup will increase. A customer with 4,000 gallons of usage, including garbage pick up, currently pays $53.32. The new rate would reflect a bill for $60.34, an increase of $7.02 per month. Usage of 8,000 would increase a bill by $11.58 and usage of 12,000 would result in an increase of $14.96 per month.

Authorization was given for the purchase and installation of security monitoring equipment at the municipal court collection windows of City Hall. This equipment would be installed and maintained using funds from the municipal court security fund established by the city in 1996.

The council also approved the mayor's recommendation to officially suspend animal control operations within the city until details of other possible arrangements are known and implementation plans can be made and presented to the council. There was great concern that there was not adequate personnel to handle the operation and the cost for intake of an animal at the Humane Society of Smith County was $50 per animal, $15 more than the intake charge for a prisoner at the Smith County Jail.

Discussion took place concerning a line item that had been in previous budgets. This budget item was to the Troup Volunteer Fire Department and included payments to some retired firefighters and widows of firefighters. While the majority of the money will now come from the Emergency Services District funds, the council decided to look further into those other payments formerly covered by the city.

The mayor made note to the council that the city's public works director, David LaMotte, had resigned. The city only has two public works employees and they are literally working night and day to keep up. Mayor Whitsell said that efforts were under way to seek out a qualified, licensed person for the position.