A discussion about a new curfew ordinance was held during the July 13 council meeting.

 

Council was briefed by Interim Police Chief Roy Owen who advised council to ultimately adopt a curfew where any juvenile under the age of 17 would not be permitted to be on the street between midnight and 6 a.m. 

 

Exceptions for the ordinance would include minors being out in the event of an emergency, returning home after work, returning from a religious, school or government-sanctioned activity or being out with a parent or guardian.

 

“Most criminal mischief occurs after midnight. Children don’t need to be out from midnight to 6 a.m.,” Owen said. 

 

“There is absolutely no place open in Farmersville after midnight, much less someplace that would entertain a juvenile appropriately. This would be a great asset to parents.”

 

A fine for violation of the proposed ordinance could be as high as $500.

 

In order to adopt the ordinance, public hearings will be held at the next council meeting.

 

The council voted in support of joining together with the Cities Served by Texas-New Mexico Power Company which is in opposition of a Texas New Mexico Power resolution for an Advanced Metering System, or a smart metering system. The meters could cost companies and individuals around $700 for the meters.

 

The plan will be filed with the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

 

Customers would see a sizable increase from now until the year 2022, though it may be several years before new meters are received if it is approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, according to City Manager John Moran.

 

For the years 2010-’15, customers would pay an additional $4.80 a month. From 2016 to 2022 customers would pay an additional $4.16 a month.

 

“Paying $700 for a meter? Do you get to take the meter with you when you leave? What are you paying for?” Councilmember Fred Langford asked.

 

According to Moran, the majority of Farmersville residents do not use Texas New Mexico Power Company, but  receive service from Caprock, now Sharyland Power Company.

 

The motion to accept joining the group in opposition was approved with Mayor pro tem Paul Kelly in opposition.

 

Short Street right-of-way

A discussion about the city abandoning the right-of-way for Short Street was held by council.

Out of consideration for the safety of the citizens whose property is adjacent to Short Street, council discussed the possibility of abandonment of right-of-way of Short Street, making it not an active throughfare. Councilman Langford brought the issue to the council.

“It’s basically a matter of private convenience versus public safety,” he said.

“The county doesn’t even show a road through there,” Councilmember Jim Foy said. “It became a street because people use it. It’s just a matter of do we want it to be.”

According to Kelly, Short Street was not an officially street when he worked for the city of Farmersville in the ’70s.

In order to abandon the right-of-way, the council will have to have several public hearings in the upcoming months along with a request application from residents to abandon the property.

 

City materials

The council also discussed establishing a policy for city council, boards and commissions regarding posting and distributing agendas, packets, reports and minutes.

The discussion included the following suggestions from Mayor Joe Helmberger.

•Agendas for all board, commission, and council meetings should be posted on the front window at city hall and on the city’s website at the times specified by state law.

•The city’s monument sign needs to be updated on the first of the month and then during the month as required to provide the public information as to when council and planning and zoning commission meetings will be held.

•Except for documents that are legally prohibited from public postings, the agenda packet for each agenda item should be available for download from the city’s website at the same time that the agenda is posted.

•When closed sessions are listed in an agenda, the reason for the session should be stated as completely as legally possible.  

•All open meetings should be digitally recorded. The recordings must be maintained for as long as state law requires.

•All closed sessions should be digitally recorded. The recordings must be maintained for as long as state law requires and should be stored using an appropriate level of security.

•No ordinance shall be finally adopted until it has been considered and favorably acted on by the council at two separate meetings held at least seven days apart except as is authorized by state law. 

•Preliminary meeting minutes should be posted on the city’s website within three days after the meeting, with a note stating that the minutes are not official until approved at a subsequent meeting. 

•Agendas and backup materials to be transmitted electronically, wherever possible, eliminating the need for hard copies to be delivered by the police department.

The members and City Attorney Alan Lathrom discussed the legality of recording closed sessions.

“It eliminates the temptation to discuss things we shouldn’t be discussing in executive session,” Helmberger said.

Lathrom advised council to use a signed agenda instead of digital recordings of closed sessions due to security and liabilities.

Placing councilmembers’ e-mail addresses on the city’s website was also a topic of discussion, and Moran agreed all councilmembers should have a city e-mail address easily accessible for Farmersville’s citizens.

City staff was asked to make a proposed policy based on discussions and direction from council.

 

In other city business, council:

 

• amended the 2009-’10 budget; and

 

• passed an ordinance regarding the Master Fee Schedule which brought all the fees to one location. 

 

These fees, which included the garage sale permit fee ($7), fire code plan review permit fee, fire code inspection permit fee, credit card transaction fee, garbage service fee and recycling service fee, have all been previously approved and adopted by council.

 

Council also:

• approved an interlocal agreement with Collin County for emergency services dispatch. The agreement is not to exceed $28,000 for the year; and

 

• discussed establishing a policy for purchasing bricks and trees to be placed near Chaparral Trail in recognition of previous council and mayors service.

 

Council took no action on the following agenda items:

 

• The warrant officer position for the police department;

 

• A resolution to possible impose additional fees for delinquent court fines; and

 

• Action concerning the interlocal agreement with Hunt County concerning subdivisions  outside the city limits inside of the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction. 

 

Editor's note: The article was edited to correct an error regarding the smart meter motion July 25. 

 

 

 

 

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