City engineer search proceeding
WH council member Bill Powers announces resignation
BY CHARLOTTE SMITH Editor

Whitehouse City Council appointed a committee to lead the search for a new city engineer, reaffirming its decision to replace Phil Elledge. The committee formation came after surveyor Wes Turley, speaking on his own behalf in the matter of the city's recent eminent domain acquisition attempt, also defended Elledge's performance.

"I know you all have issues with the city engineer," Turley said at Tuesday's regular monthly meeting. Despite those issues, however, Turley voiced his support for Elledge's actions in the council's aborted attempt to acquire an easement on the property of Don Green.

"I believe Mr. Elledge operated within the standard procedures I have seen engineers use for my 30-year history of surveying, as the engineers almost always assume (and rightly so) that the surveyors that they hire are responsible for getting the permission to enter property themselves, and that is exactly what happened in this case," said Turley in a written statement.

"Also, Mr. Elledge acted appropriately according to standard engineering procedures when he did not begin acquiring easements before he knew if they were going to get a good water well. Acting before that time would have been premature."

Turley also said he resented the use of the phrase "backdoor politics" at last month's meeting and said he stood by his reputation.

"It's never been my intent to deprive any citizen of their rights. I think you can look back in my history with the City of Whitehouse and see that," said Turley. Although he said that he could understand Mr. Green doing what he felt necessary to protect his property, Turley expressed dissatisfaction with council's action.

"I'm disappointed in this council for taking action based on false assumptions about what my crew did," he said.

Council reversed its decision to use eminent domain to get a water line right of way on Green's land in part due to his claim that he was not contacted before sur veying crews entered his property. Turley was not present at that meeting.

At the recommendation of City Manager Ronny Fite, the council appointed a committee to establish search criteria for a new city engineer. In addition to Fite, committee members are council members Mike Adams and Danny Hogden, director of finance Jed Dillingham and director of public works Jeff Tomlin.

In other matters, council approved the call for an election in May as the two-year terms of Mayor Jake Jacobson and council members Adams and Gene Champion are expiring. During discussion of this item, the mayor read a letter from council member Bill Powers expressing his intention to resign due to health issues on May 31.

Because his term is unexpired, Powers' position will be filled by appointment rather than public vote in the city election on Saturday, May 10. Because it was not an agenda item, the council could not accept Powers' resignation at this meeting, but the mayor expressed his appreciation of Powers longtime service and his dedication to the city's parks development.

Mayor Jacobson also updated council on his meeting with Tyler mayor Joey Seeber concerning Whitehouse's water needs. Jacobson said the meeting was very positive and that Seeber seemed receptive to working with Whitehouse on a contract more suitable to the city's current needs.

With water well production not as far along as hoped, the city's supply of water is uncertain for the peak usage periods. Tyler cut off its water supply to Whitehouse on Nov. 1 after contract negotiations stalled, due in part to the 25-year contract term.

Council had authorized Jacobson to renew talks with the hope of getting a five or 10-year contract that would be an "insurance policy" for Whitehouse and supplement its other water pursuits.

Dillingham reminded council that the revenues in the utilities fund, due to savings from the city's use of its own water, had balanced the budget and paved the way for a three cent reduction in the tax rate.

"That could evaporate," he said.

"So could the water wells," responded Adams.

Adams then added that he thought the city staff should stay out of the negotiation process and leave it to council, citing hard feelings on both sides .

Jacobson said he had addressed that issue with Seeber and expressed the desire for a fresh start.

"It's more than just water," said Jacobson. "It's about our future together."

Economist Dan Jackson presented a brief overview of the city's proposed capital improvement plan during a public hearing. Jackson said the CIP was not binding, but a good-faith estimate of expected revenues. The adoption of a CIP is a required step in the implementation of impact fees to help pay for future growth.

The council will consider adopting the CIP next month.