City Council - Regular Meeting

You're talking about this for the open door. university. First thing in the morning after graduation.

All right. It is 6:30 in the evening on December 16th. I'd like to call this meeting of the Ward City Council to order. In a prayer, please, Mr. Paul, would you give a prayer, please?

Heavenly Father, you're a amazing God, the creator God that cares about us, created us uniquely and individually and wonderfully as we work individually together to be part of a group. We we recognize we each bring gifts and talents and we pray, Lord, that you would use us as you will, that we would have discernment of the decisions we make, and may we make a production that would be beneficial to our city. We pray. We pray for each aspect of our city to each of the workers, all of those who live in our city. You uh be glorified. We pray in our community in Jesus name. Amen. Please join me in the pledge.

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Very good. Madam clerk, would you call the roll call, please? Council member Hall here. Council member Chapman here. Council member McMonian here. Council member Hefner here. Council member Brook here. And Council Member Rubble is absent.

Council member Rubel is out of town on work, so he's excused. First up on the agenda tonight is um I get the right slide. There we go. All right. First on the agenda tonight is the approve review and approval of council meeting minutes starting with November 18th. I would entertain a motion to approve as presented. Motion second. We have a motion to second. Any comment? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Motion carries. December 2nd special meeting had a motion to approve. Motion.

Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Next on the agenda is the department reports of financials. I entertain a motion to approve as they were presented. Motion. Motion. Do we have a second? Second. Second. All right. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Next on the agenda is the planning commission. I will tell you this is Miss Aaron's last time to stand before us as a planning commission chairperson. She is not coming back to be on the planning commission anymore.

Yep. I'm quitting. Your term expired. My term expired and I'm not reupping. I'll put it that way. All right. Uh so the first thing we had uh last month was the Copper Moon Estates phase three. They had a variance request for the length of the culdesac. The culde-sacs already been put in. Um and it was just something that slipped through staff fingers. Um and this a little bit longer than our what happened was this was done in phases. So phase one and phase two on that cottoac. And then when it got to phase three it was elongated somewhat. And uh

yeah so we uh we approved that. Um, and we saw no no issue with that. The next is the Copper Moon Estates phase three final platform. It's the same thing. Exact same thing. Yeah. Um, and there were no changes from the preliminary, so we approved that. Council, I'd entertain a motion to approve the final plant as presented for Copper Moon Estates phase three. Motion. A motion with a second. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. Any oppose? Motion carries.

Okay. Thank you. Uh the next thing is the Moon Road subdivision. It's a preliminary plat. Uh we discussed with them that they are going to remove a culde-sac and make it a throughway. Um so that is actually what is marked on this and that is what we approved for the preliminary plat. The developer worked closely with us on this uh cotac was way too long. It was to be modified or something and he agreed to just extend that straight on straight out. We'd had the right away to do that already. So that's just for information only.

And then there was a notice of discontinuation of remaining development phases for the long edition and tapping fees were refunded. Um that was part of our uh agenda.

Council that says is the um plan development was right behind on Markham. They did about five houses on Markham and they decided not to develop the area behind it. So they withdrawn the preliminary uh plans. All right. And I'll tell you there are now three openings on the planning commission. Uh, Miss Aaron's not stand on and then Helen H and Alex both moved out of the city and with the new rules can't be on planning commission. So, we're taking applications. Anything else? Nope.

Well, I'll tell you from from this chair, I appreciate you being the chairperson and handling the plan planning commission. Brought you in as a chairperson after we had a the other one had to leave and you've done an outstanding job. I hate to see you go, but I understand family comes first. Yes, sir. Yep. family obligations. It's not because I don't want to do it. It's because I got a lot to go on at home. So, I appreciate everybody and uh thank you. Thank you. All right. With that, I'd entertain a motion to approve the planning report as presented by Miss Aron. Motion. Second. All those in favor say I.

Any oppose? Good. All right. Next on the agenda is uh it says old business, actually new business, excuse me. Resolution uh 2025 uh 55, if you'd um read title, please. A resolution authorizing the mayor and/or city clerk to renew certificates of deposit with bank OK. I make a motion we accept. Do you need any explanation? You guys have any questions? Do we know what the the rates going to be? That's the point. We don't know the rates at this point. That's why this resolution allows us to if it's beneficial to the city, u work on it. We won't know them until after Christmas. Renewal is the 28th of December, so we won't know till then.

Any further questions? Any comments from With that in mind? I'd entertain a motion to approve. Resol, you already got a motion to approve. I entertain a second. Second. We have a motion to second. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Thank you. What would be the length of those? Six months. I'm sure it was there. Yeah, six months. Actually, it doesn't say, but that's what we're going to do. All right. Next on agenda is resolution 202556. Read the title, please. A resolution confirming the reappoint of Harry Butch Price to the city of Ward Planning Commission.

Butch's times was also up, but he elected to stay on. And so, this resolution just authorizes that and continue his appointment uh through 2030 as a 5-year term. Make a motion. A motion. Do we have a second? Second. Any discussion? Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Thank you. Next on the agenda is uh resolution 202557. A resolution authorizing the mayor andor city clerk to dispose of the following vehicle.

This old police unit that we're just trying to get rid of, council. It is u not worth salvaging. I'll make a motion. We have a motion. We have a second. Second. Any further discussion? Any discussion? Hearing? None. All those in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you, councelor. Next on the agenda is resolution 202558.

A resolution expressing the willingness of the city of Ward to utilize federal aid transportation alternatives program funds. council. Uh TAP funds, transportation alternative program funds, uh applications are due January 8th. And in speaking with Metro Planer Day, and I had them out here, we looked at Moon Road and all the housing that's going to go out on Moon Road and how that's uh going to be affected. We went down to Moon Road in 38 and discussed starting a a study by ARDOT on a potential traffic light down there at some time because that's going to happen. There is a study that's supposed to be conducted on 38 and 319 because that is going to be our next traffic light. But uh at the u suggestion of metrop plan uh we're going to if you approve we're going to work up a uh a uh an application for design engineering fees for to widen curb and gutter and sidewalks moonroad from uh Wilson loop all the way to the city limits. of where I speak spoke with the county judge. Of course, county judge is going to change in in a year and a half or whatever, but uh that would be their responsibility from that point on, but we can work with that later. This is just our city side of it. So, I'd like to have approval through this resolution to move forward with submitting a package to them uh asking for uh design engineering uh monies to help pay for this. And then once we get the design and get that shovel ready, then subsequently we'll ask for CPRG funds to actually do the construction.

Just to refresh my memory, city limits is right there right before Sweetwater. Correct. I'll make a motion to approve. I make a second. It needs to be done. So this is what you're So this is preparatory for think about the counties. Do their Right. Right. Yeah.

Correct. Yeah. Even even if I mean the county in speaking with the current county judge, he's all favored for it. And I think any of the uh whoever gets the next judge will be favored. Also, just the fact that the number of houses going up with Moon Ridge subdivision and the others that the Esters are putting up is going to dictate this. I have a motion. Do I have a second? Okay, I have a second. Any further comment? Any comment from the public? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Thank you very much. Next on the agenda is resolution 202559.

A resolution authorizing the mayor andor city clerk of the city of Ward to enter into a contract to purchase several pumps for various wastewater lift stations. That's the Bruce come up here and speak to this. Yep. These are just the the current stations that are in need of pumps at the current moment. Well, they keep they keep failing and

yeah, we've had a we've had a a pretty good stretch here recently of failures just kind of out of nowhere. Um, and it's it's been pretty good since uh you I think the last ones we got were November of last year. So, all these have been pretty recent. One pump about a couple months ago, you came up here and asked for pumps also, and we asked you if that was going to be enough money for you to get the pumps, and you assured us that it was. We increase the spinning limit so you get more pumps to be on the shelf to replace it. But here you are asking for pumps again. So what's the maintenance being done on the pumps that's going out and why why are they going out such a high rate? Well, all these are for different reasons. Um some was you know seal failure where water gets up in there and then destroys everything. Um, another one the impeller fell off which damaged everything. Um, another one, uh, pieces of PVC and pipe got sucked up into it. Do you know have anybody that can repair these pumps on staff?

No. And there's not a whole lot of people period that can repair these. I mean, I did repair one myself. Um, another issue with an impeller that I repaired. Um, but some of these what happens is generally when something major like that happens, um, it'll end up going short to ground. Um, whether it's a seal fail or if the pipe um, you know, it got too high on amps or whatever it is. And once it shorts to ground, the um, the internals are shot. all the windings, the coils, everything is is shot at that point. In a typical full rebuild in that situation is um pretty much always higher than a new pump.

I'd be curious to see what the maintenance records are on these pumps that you are doing. We've asked for that. I asked for that over a year ago. Still haven't got those. What kind of records you want? So, the lift stations are ran every single day. They're ran They're every single day. You're right. But the motors and the pumps all have a life on them. It also has a maintenance booklet tells you how long they're supposed to be running for and when maintenance supposed to be done on them. Yeah. There's there there's no serviceable items by our staff on those pumps. There's nothing you can grease. Um it's they're not designed to replace the mechanical seals, things like that. Um that takes very specialized equipment and very specialized people to do that.

But Okay. So there's no service contract involved in that then I take it from those companies that specialize in that type of stuff then right?

No, it's just you you you have them come out and check it out and see if it's worth fixing. Yeah, there there is no now granted there is some things um that you you can catch um that where you know that pump can be fixed before it goes south. Right. If you got a silhou's hooked up correctly, usually that will signal you before um water gets up in there and does serious damage. And in that case, you know, you can you can shut it down, take it out of service, and have them fix what's wrong with it before it goes bad. Um, but a lot of that stuff is just things you really can't plan for. So, last time we asked you if you had have stuff pumps on the shelf to replace when one goes down, have one on reserve and back. So, how many of those were you able to procure and have on hand before all these went down?

Yeah, we had uh one one one large one that was um on hand. Um, the problem with these pumps is there's no two stations that have the exact same specs as far as head pressure and flow. Um, and so every pump is calculated to that lift station, you know, per 10 state standards. Calculated or calibrated? What's that?

Calculated or calibrated? calculated as far as head pressure and volume to make sure that the pump matches the pump curve. Are these pumps being bought at the same place, same provider, same source? The the the the ones that we've been getting the last several years. Yes.

And anyone talking about changing sources then these pumps won't last if you keep on asking for more funds every 3 months. Well, it's not necessarily their pumps that are failing. There's a lot of these are older, you know, just older pumps in the system. I mean, we we have approximately 50 something pumps, you know, and you can expect to replace about 10% a year roughly. Of course, you don't know which ones. Um, and since I've been here, we've we've not purchased anywhere near 50 pumps. How many have you purchased this year so far? I can't remember the last one.

I know we got the It was like two months ago. No, that was for the meters and the end points. Is that not correct? That's where we doubled up on meters. Yeah. Also double on pumps, too. I I don't I don't recall getting any pumps. I haven't put any orders in. That was meters and end points. Oh, okay. Last pumps we bought were November of 2024 and that was for an upgrade for Cedar Creek and Sweetwater. Been over a year.

Yes. April 2024. It's a resolution done in November, I believe, for we bought three for 9,800 which have gone up obviously. Yeah. And it just it depends on the size and the specs and this one in particular uh Morrison Street that's our main one of the main pump lift stations. Correct.

Yeah. And you can see here, you know, traditionally that that had um like a 30 horsepower and we did the calculations on it and what was there was um actually too small. It it calculates out it's about 40 horsepower pumps now just because of the head pressure, not necessarily the volume. The ones on Monroe before I convert it to like it is now. What's that? The one that was on Moon Road, they got converted to what it is now. Right. Correct.

That was that was my question. I was when I was looking over it earlier. Are we are we buying um sufficient power? Are they working too hard because of the size? I'm not sure that that comes into play, but

no, that that's something that has to be calculated um to be sure. Um, you know, a lot of these stations were, you know, calculated originally when they went in, but, you know, as over time as as new homes get built and, you know, you may get more eye and eye that those numbers may change. So, every time every purchase you make, you want to be sure to check that, check the pump curve. So, the developments coming in, subdivisions come in and stuff like that, the pumps are spread in now. Are they going to be changed out with bigger pumps later because these subdivisions coming in or are they going to be adequate enough to hold all to handle all that?

No. All um basically all the large developments everything is um as it should be. So like Moonlight Meadows for example, it's um it's uh greatly oversized for the future. If you remember, we did a a private partnership with them to increase that pump and increase the capacity on that one. That was one that uh Black Oak, right? They increase it there. Not Black Oak. What did Moonlight Metals? I understand that, but I'm saying they

Yeah. So, Black Oak Black Oak goes to where the Moon Road station is now, which is um you know, basically operating as a manhole now. And then that will gravity to moonlight. So, you're saying that each pump is specific to a location? You can't just buy five pumps a year and put them on the shelf as needed. Yeah, but you you could, but they're all spec differently and you ultimately you don't know which ones are going to go. Well, that that's why I'm saying that each pump is

I mean, there's a few that that are that are similar um that that could be swapped out. you know, in a pinch. But you also got to look at the um at the quote full warranty from shipment. So if you buy five and you stick them on a shelf, you don't use them for a year, you wasted a year of warranty. And the, you know, some of these are what's called Envy pumps, and then some of them are the regular Scythe pumps. The uh the all the Envy pumps have a 5year warranty, and all the Scythe pumps have a three-year warranty. Bruce, you had six on there. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. It says

I see a typo on there. I didn't got that. I saw that. It is six you're wanting. Yeah. If you look on a whereas Yeah, that's from the last probably. So, yes. He's exactly right. I make a motion to approve it. A motion to approve resolution 20259. Any further discussion? Any comments? Do I have a second? Second. All those in favor say I. Any opposed? So, Mr. Burke opposing.

Thank you, councel. Next on the agenda is ordinance 20231. Read title, please. an ordinance authorizing the mayor or city clerk to authorize David Gibson to perform repairs and minor construction to the emergency medical service EMS crew quarters declaring an emergency and for other purposes. Council David de Gibson is husband of Britney Gibson, our water office, has given us a quote to do some work out at the EMS station. It needs to be done and because he's a a um a relative employee, we have to do an ordinance authorizing it. I have questions.

Sure. Um it has really nothing to do with Britney or David, but we give the EMS $20,000 a year. No, we do not. We don't anymore? No. Okay. Who owns the building? We do. We're landlord. Are we renting it to them? Leasing it to them? No, we give that as part of the service instead of the 20,000. Okay. That's I'm I'm just trying to figure out Sure. who who should be putting the bills. We're We're the landlord. But I have no prop. That's not much money and probably looks kind of like a good deal.

He does good work. I I know personally. Any further discussion? All right. On the first reading, I need a um motion and a second. Motion. A motion for a second. Second. Roll call. Council member Hall, yes. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member McMahon, yes. Council member Hefner, yes. And council member Brooke, no. Motion carries four to one. Council, I entertain a motion to suspend the rules for a second and third reading. Motion to suspend. We have a motion to suspend. I have a second. Second. Have a second. All those in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? Have two. So we now have three to two. Is that correct? I'll vote in the affirmative to suspend. Entertain a motion to approve. Adopt ordinance 202531. Motion. Second. Do we have a second? Second. And a second. Roll call, please. Council member Chapman, yes. Council member McMahon, yes. Council member Hefner, no. Council member Brooke, no. And council member Hall,

yes. voted 3 to one. I vote in the affirmative to approve. 3 to2, excuse me. Thank you. I still vote affirmative to approve. Ordinance 202531 has been approved. Council, I'd entertain a motion for the emergency clause so we can get working on this. Motion. Second. Have a motion. Second. Roll call, please. Council member McMahon. Yes. Council member Hefner, no. Council member Brooke, no. Council member Hall, yes. Council member Chapman, yes.

And a quirk of the law, I cannot vote for emergency clauses. So, this won't be taking effect. It'll take effect in 30 days. Seems like to me we're responsible for a piece of property we need to maintain and fix that somebody's using. Hey, in three minutes that's not what I was voting against. I don't like doing emergencies when the full crew is not here. Okay, that's

next on the agenda is the ordinance. Oh, you all have been provided as a read ahead uh for 2026 the uh the first ordinance city rules. Did y'all have any comments on that? And okay, just continue reading it. We'll bring it up first time next year, next month. First one for uh for passage. Next on agenda is my report. Uh the sorts for construction will begin was supposed to begin today but they delayed it till next next Monday. Supposed to be done about 6 to 8 weeks. We have put out uh door hangers on everybody's doors so they do know it's coming. Uh sidewalk project for starts five down Brewer Street. I got now I have to get additional rightways and we'll get to work on that. Uh the rehab project we're still looking still working get easements. I got another one today. They're slow and coming, but we're getting them. The water tank rehab project has completed. Uh we haven't paid it yet. They haven't sent us an invoice, but um street aid project for 2025 and 26, we're waiting for see how we fared with that. Uh the fund grant that the park had put in for was disapproved and we'll just do it again next time. We're still waiting for word on the uh ADA upgrade from ADC and the HVAC lighting project. Uh if you remember the small the U small cities council through state small cities through state awarded us $200,000 and do know for a fact it's on the agenda for tomorrow's uh metrop plan meeting to award the city award $234,000 uh for this project. So once that gets finalized uh we'll be ready to go. And then uh we have um the street overlay project. We're waiting for a date to do a pre-construction meeting before we get started on that. And then, uh, the TAP project, we've already talked about that. Um, one other thing, Christmas parade. Want to thank everybody who attended, uh, those who, uh, were

participating in it. Uh, let me go to full screen. Uh, thanks Michelle for all her her artwork. Our parks and recreation director, she's not here, but thank her. Uh, she does a tremendous job putting this together. It's always a good time. And I also like to publicly thank Cornerstone Church for the Thanksgiving meal again this year. It's a great service that they provide for our citizens and we hope they continue doing that in the future. Do we have any um further business in front of this council either through public comment? Any signed up? Council, do you have anything to add? I have two things.

Okay. One, I would like to see about purchasing our old tablets that just did not work very well. Council, as you know, we replace all your tablets and we have old tablets in reserve or not reserve. We're not going to use uh I entertain a motion that we dispose of them as as we can uh including sell them at a reasonable price to whomever. Motion. Second. or can I vote? I whatever. We have a motion to second. All those in favor say I. I. Any oppose? Okay. What else you got?

I have the I found out the police department purchases the teddy bears, the coloring books, the crayons, all that stuff with their money. Is that correct? We have it a while. Yes.

Okay. Okay. Well, I was speaking to one of your newer police officers and he said that he keeps a bag in the back of his vehicle with teddy bears. He goes to Five Below and I just think they don't get paid enough to for them to have to purchase that sort of thing. Is there some way we could bring something one thing every meeting or find somebody that can donate these items? I'm just You can certainly always take donations from whomever, including council members. Well, I'm just however get the thought going because I don't think they should have to purchase.

I think it's admirable that an individual who um works for wherever, especially the police department, uh out of their own pocket or fire department out of their own pocket, something like I think it's admirable. Uh, and I think, uh, taking that away, I mean, yeah, I think if we did some fundraising or did some whatever donations, u, that would be fine, but I just think it's it's admirable that we got we got officers out there who think enough of their public that they do this on their own. Yes, but I just don't think they get paid enough to do it on their own. Well, it's what they want to do with their money is what they do with their money. But I I again I just think it's it's admirable. Nice gesture.

Pardon me. It's a nice gesture. It is a nice gesture really. Anything else to bring forward this council? I had a quick question. Yes. I noticed the new lights were the poll lights are up. How many How many did we end up getting? Oh, don't ask me that question. I don't know for sure. I don't I don't I just want to add that I can find out for you and let you know, but I don't know. Curious. I just want to add they look pretty good. I like they look great. Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate it. We may look at buying some more this year, but we had bought two sets previous year and I didn't feel that we need to buy another set this year. So, good. Anything else discussed? Hearing nothing. I'd entertain a motion to adjurnn. Motion

motion. Second. All those in favor. Merry Christmas and happy new year to everybody.