Troup council considers several agenda items
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

President Mike Peterson welcomes director Larry Roquemore as the newly appointed liaison between the chamber and the city.

The January Troup City Council saw several agenda items but several drew no action.

The council heard from Cherie Archer who owns property within the Pace-Hillcrest subdivision. She asked the council for a variance concerning the placement of a manufactured home on the lots she owns in the subdivision. She was directed to obtain a survey, which is required and to ask for a replatting of the property at the time of the survey.

Updates on the Joey subdivision were on the agenda but no one from that project was present to answer the questions the council has concerning many of the economic changes that have recently transpired. There are also issues concerning easement that must be resolved before going forward.

City Administrator Russ Obar reported on the possibility of a voluntary annexation of two properties on South Price. Obar said he has spoken with both of the property owners and wanted the council to be aware that discussion was underway. No action was required or taken on this item.

Obar also reported on the design underway for the creation of a city flag. The design is basically that of the city's logo.

Mayor John Whitsell brought three sample zoning ordinances from Tim Glendening and from the Texas Municipal League. After months of discussing the need for such an ordinance, the council directed the mayor and city administrator to actively seek further guidelines that would best represent the city of Troup. The council directed the mayor to run these samples by the city attorney for his input in the process of creating a document that will best serve the city.

The mayor informed the council that he is in contact with the Troup Volunteer Fire Department concerning their needs and intentions as related to the City of Troup. With the new ESD budgeting it has not yet been determined what assistance the department may ask of the city.

Obar announced the hiring of John Hall as the city's new director of public works. He comes by way of a surface water plant district in the Mount Pleasant area.

Also Ron Sanford will be joining the department as Hall's second in command.

Both men bring to the city the necessary licenses for water and sewer. They are scheduled to begin the week of Jan. 14.

There were several items that Obar brought to the attention of the council. First was that lift station work is going on around the city. It is just some maintenance that is long overdue.

Next, the house numbering ordinance wording that is currently on the books is quite vague causing difficultly for EMS, fire and police responders. Obar asked that the council allow him to explore more specific wording to correct this matter.

Council directed Obar to talk with the city's attorney about wording of an ordinance concerning persons collecting money in the roadway for charitable causes. Several years ago the city council developed wording for an ordinance banning all collection in the roadway but no ordinance was ever passed. Council would like that possibility revisited.

One last issue concerning burning within the city limits was addressed.

The current ordinance allows for the burning of small piles of tree debris. The state law permits no burning at all within city limits. Obar asked that the council read over the current wording and consider updating the ordinance along with the others discussed.