By JESSIE HORTON
TheFlashToday.com
DUBLIN (February 9, 2016) — Council members met for over an hour discussing the evaluation of several, but not all council members, among other things. Rumor abound as to the cause, most being a council member calling out Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant for not agreeing to aid the city with permanent dispatch services in the media.
One of the Dublin Councilmen even went so far as to send text messages to the media saying the sheriff should’ve considered the city’s offer more carefully before saying no since it was an election year. Dublin city officials quickly went on the defensive saying the councilman was not speaking on behalf of the council when he gave those quotes.
However, coming back from executive session, the council took no action and gave no explanation.
They did approve action on two properties, one for the tax sale of property on Olla Street and the other a land donation from Tom Songbird for the old Texas Central Rail Depot property.
In other business, Police Chief Michael Jennings reported that by request, he reviewed the city’s curfew policy and feels it is a good ordinance. However, he advised he has instructed his officers to write warnings for first-time offenders instead of a ticket for first offenses.
Jennings also gave the annual racial profiling report, advising that no complaints were made against any officers on the Dublin Police Department this year.
Council members handled a number of housekeeping items, including:
• applying for the 2016 Texas CDBG assistance grant for planning and capacity building
• accepted the recommendation from Kassi Jurney with the Planning and Zoning Board to re-zone property for Keith and Bobbie Nichols from commercial to multi-family for future construction
• approved a request from the Dublin Chamber of Commerce to waive fees for the City Park in relation to the upcoming 2016 St Patrick’s Day Celebration
• accepting the long-range plan for the Dublin Public Library presented by Librarian Adina Dunn
• accepting the resignation of Francesca Groppe and appoint D’Linda Sommerfeld as the city’s records manager and public information officer
• appointing Dublin Police Chief Michael Jennings as the city’s new Emergency Management Coordinator
• accepting the bid from Louis Phillippi for property in the 200 block of Dobkins Street
authorizing the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power to negotiate for electricity for the city of Dublin
• order the 2016 general election and approve the 2016 general election contract for May 7, and
• hear from the finance committee on Progressive Waste and approve fuel contract with PW.
City Administrator Nancy Wooldridge reported on the repairs and renovations being done at the city hall building and other city owned properties. She advised an architect had been recommended to help make sure all codes and ADA requirements were being met as they had not been in the past. She said the construction is stopped until those requirements are met and the sites are brought up to code, assuring the council work would begin again soon.
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