Citizens Voice Concerns

Citizens voiced concerns to the council over a stop sign, animal control and city sponsored events during the public comment portion of the Canton City Council meeting last week.

Edward Sanders told the council he was pleased to see the stop sign go up on Forest Street, but prior to the stop sign he felt there should be a speed zone sign.

"Some of them stop at the stop sign and some of them you wonder if they can read when they get up to it," Sanders said. "But they will understand sooner or later."

Sanders also spoke about the animal control ordinance and the leash law that has recently been updated.

"I think for each one who wants a pet they need to have a fence high enough to restrain that pet," he said. "If the pet digs out under the fence, then they need to dig a trench there and pour in concrete so it can’t dig out. It is the responsibility of the owner to take care of this and I’d like to urge the council to vote on it in this direction."

Sanders also said he felt it was important for the city to take action on anyone caught dumping an animals in the city, sticking them with "a heavy fine."

Sanders also urged citizens to take note of vehicle license plates, for animal dumpers, and "report them to the proper authorities."

Also, speaking during public comment was citizen Ron Perkins who addressed the council with his concerns on promoting city sponsored events outside the city limits.

Perkins said he recently attended the Freestate Bluegrass Festival Music Festival and the Superride VI events sponsored by the city of Canton.

"I was just amazed when this sidekick and I were out riding the side streets and byways that we almost ran out of Van Zandt County before we found out where this place was out on I-20 and 110," Perkins said of the Superride VI event. "…It’s closer by far to Tyler than Van."

"Tax payers for the city of Canton are receiving zero benefit that is going over on the other side of Van and Tyler. If I’m out there watching that show, I’m not driving back to Canton to eat at our few restaurants. I’m going to drive that extra six miles to get into Tyler," he said.

Mayor Pro-tem Ross Maris explained that the CEDC sponsored event, has brought in business and tax dollars to the city of Canton for several years.

During the October 2007 CEDC meeting the board granted $20,000 to the US Equestrian Drill Team Competition through a community enhancement grant in support of the project.

In other business the council:

-heard from staff members during reports:

Director of Public Works, Rick Malone, reported that his crews have completed work on two bridges at First Monday.

Malone also said that most of the Etheridge Road drain line is in, the FM 859 water line is in, and the water/sewer line installation for Brookshire’s should begin this week.

Director of First Monday, Lonny Cluck, gave a report on First Monday and the city parks.

Cluck gave a run down of tree trimming, mowing and clean up that spanned from the Van Zandt County Library, and the soccer fields, to repairs at the First Monday grounds.

At the soccer field Cluck reported that crews have mowed the fence line, trimmed trees, cleaned ditches and done repairs on the bridge.

Behind the basketball courts they mowed and cleaned up along the creek, and at the Blackwell House the sprinkler systems has been repaired.

Cluck said rose bushes have also been planted by some restrooms on the First Monday grounds.

Cluck also reported that all First Monday staff went through a first aid course, and kits have been placed on all golf carts for the grounds staff.

The training, McCuistion informed the council, was courtesy of Champion EMS.

Police chief Michael Echols reported that they had placed a stop sign on Forest Street, and that police would be issuing warning tickets for the time being.

He also reported that his office is short two officers and one dispatcher down, but that one officer, Josh Young had been promoted to corporal.

Echols said his department answered 587 calls for the month, with 39 incidents, 48 arrests and wrote 158 citations.

Fire chief Charles Bazhaw gave an update on the rescue revenue program that the fire department is participating in.

About two months ago Bazhaw informed the council about the program which helps the fire department recover some of the funds incurred that are associated with handling calls outside the city limits.

In May, Bazhaw told the council that approximately 80 percent of the calls the city handles are outside the city limits.

Bazhaw said that to date the fire department has billed $20,249.34, but they have not received anything yet.

"I called and inquired about that and she said it could take a little while before we could start seeing any of that (funds), and just because we have filled that doesn’t mean we are going to realize that (full amounts)," Bazhaw said. "I don’t know how much of it we are going to see come in."

Bazhaw said he was also asked by the council to look into what it would take to start an Emergency Services District (ESD) for Canton.

"I spoke to an attorney out of Houston; he was referred to me by someone who was successful at starting an ESD, and he said that he was very successful at it," Bazhaw said.

Bazhaw pointed out that the city of Canton is six square miles and the response area is 85 square miles.

In other reports, Bazhaw said he is currently having a recruiting drive and had seven applicants.

The Canton Fire Department responded to 56 calls, and are trying to finalize the burn ordinance.

-heard from city manager Andy McCuistion on the city manager’s report.

"On our TxDOT property we are running into some environmental issues that was there," McCuistion said. "The letter that we got from TxDOT is inadequate to satisfy the bank and we’ve also called the environmental attorney and he has advised us as well that if we want a clearance on that site we need to go through a certain process…He says that process may take 45 to 60 days."

McCuistion said that by the end of the month the city has to notify the landlord for the police department and give them at least a 60 days notice.

He said at that point he will seek a month to month lease.

He noted there are two levels of cleanup which include one for use of residential, and the other is for commercial/ industrial cleanup.

In a telephone conversation Tuesday, McCuistion said he is waiting to hear back from an environmental attorney, but said the city did receive a letter from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality stating that the site was clean for the purposes in which the city would be using the property.

-heard an EDC report on Mill Creek Ranch RV Park from McCuistion who informed the council of Mill Creek Ranches request for assistance from the EDC for funding to build a levee.

McCuistion said the EDC agreed to provide $50,000 funding to help them build the levee on their land.

He further noted that in moving forward he wanted to let the city council know, on a monthly basis, what projects the EDC are working on.

-approved resolution 2008-11 suspending date of Oncor Electric delivery company requested rate change and approving cooperation with Oncor cities steering committee to hire legal and consulting services and to negotiate with the company and direct any necessary litigation and appeals.

McCuistion pointed out that Canton is one of 32 cities that has seated original jurisdiction back to the Public Utility Commission (PUC).

"We will be in that proceeding to increase those rates, as we are members of that organization, whether we pass this or not," McCuistion explained. "This really only give more support for that whole thing since the PUC has jurisdiction over our rates."

-approved Ordinance 2008-13 amending regulation of fire arms Ordinance 2006-23 to allow ceremonial use.

-approved the June 2008 financial statements.

City secretary and director of finance Julie Seymore reviewed the financial statement pointing out that the total cash on hand was approximately $5 million, which includes the certificates of obligation and grant funds on-hand at present.

"Our new balances after refunding the 1995 COs (certificates of obligation) and after paying our July debt services payment…our balance in debt right now is $6.7 million, that is our principal," Seymore said pointing out that the city is scheduled to pay off all of those debts by 2018.

Seymore said the current loan balance is $281,000 which is scheduled to be paid off the next fiscal year or early into the next year.

-approved minutes from the June 16 and the June 30 council meetings.