By JESSIE HORTON
TheFlashToday.com
DUBLIN (March 15, 2016) – Monday night Dublin City Council heard from Dublin City Administrator Nancy Wooldridge who told them the total in damages done to city facilities was nearing $2 million for both last April’s storm and last Tuesday’s tornado. She also told the council the Texas Municipal League has agreed to pay for it all.
“We’ve seen a lot of damage in the last 12 months, but what’s even worse the the length of time it’s taken to get our facilities back in shape,” she said. “It’s even more frustrating to be close and have another storm hit. But now we’re working with a different group and things are already getting done. They were here the day of the storm and I think these guys are going to help get us back where we need to be.”
After hearing about the latest storm damage, which included tearing the new roof off the Dublin City Hall, Police Department and Fire Department, the council approved hiring an ADA Compliance Architect, as well as approving Wooldridge to go out for bids on a pitch roof in addition to bids on replacing the flat roof.
The council also heard a report on the city police department’s dispatch service. Currently Dublin PD is being dispatched by the Erath County Sheriff’s Department as DPD was displaced in the storm last April. That storm damaged the city’s dispatching equipment as well as the building in which the PD was housed. Now, the department is using another city building until the city hall is repaired. At that time, TML will replace the damaged equipment.
Dublin PD Chief Michael Jennings had been asked by the council to present options for dispatching services moving forward. He told the council a rough estimate for cost when the city’s system is up and running is approximately $200,000 a year. Jennings advised joining with Stephenville PD would cost approximately $185,000 a year plus require one time costs for new digital radios and a new reporting system at approximately $10,000. Council members agreed to consider all options before moving forward.
Max Smith, Dublin EMS Coordinator, presented a staff report as well as discussing purchasing an electric cot for the ambulance. He advised the current cots are worn out and one is nearly completely gone. Knowing the cost was high, Smith secured a grant for nearly $3,500 to cover half the cost. The electric is better for the employees, Smith said. Council members approved the request and accepted the staff report.
In other business, the council unanimously approved the cancelation of the general election on May 7, 2016, for the second time in 19 years. None of the incumbents had an opponent file to run against them. The council will remain the same for another year.
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