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Citizens ask city council to help

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By Melinda L. Lucas

In addition to hearing concerns from a group of local citizens at Monday night’s meeting, council members also discussed detailed plans with this year’s pool managers.

After a review by phone with CPA Cameron Gulley, council members approved the 2020-2021 audit.

Chris Beard, who had been sworn in earlier that day, was welcomed to his first meeting.  Because there were no opposed races for the council terms, the election was cancelled.

Neighborhood Concerns

A group of more than a dozen Albany citizens from the Nixon Addition addressed the council during the open forum portion of the meeting, voicing concerns the growing amount of trash, weeds, junk, and “open sewer” on neighboring property along Hwy. 6.

“It makes our town look bad,” said Jim Hobbs. “There are reports of drug use, very bad sanitation, animal abuse. As citizens, we care, and we would like something to be done.”

Kathy Hobbs mentioned that there is “open sewer” on the property, which city manager Billy Holson said would be investigated the next day. He also said that the process to do anything about junk and weeds is slow to evolve, and that the first letter had been delivered to the property owner by the police chief.

“The city is very aware of this situation. In fact, Billy and I discussed it today,” said mayor Susan Montgomery. “It’s private property, so it’s a sensitive issue, and it does take time, especially since we don’t have enough city employees to go in and clean it up by ourselves.”

She added that numerous people have offered to help pay for clean up and even buy the property over the past few years.

Adam Cisneros talked about another property owner in the same neighborhood who has “nine or more” dogs, one of which has frightened his son in their yard. He asked about limits for how many dogs are allowed by city ordinance at residences.

Brian Holson addressed that question, stating that he and Mike House had recently looked up the ordinance, and that House was continuing to investigate.

“We understand that you have to drive by these properties every day, and you have brought some issues to our attention that we did not know about,” said Montgomery. “That’s why it’s important for citizens to come to council;, because you are our eyes and ears. We will work with you to get this under control.”

Pool Plans

Savannah Maberry, Michaela Jones, and Meg Walser, who have agreed to co-manage the city pool this summer, outlined some of their plans for the facility.

Maberry has written a handbook for lifeguards, and she plans to utilize an app for scheduling and communicating with the lifeguards.

Jones, a certified lifeguard for nine years, addressed some of her concerns for safety equipment, which Brian Holson said he would check into.

More lifeguard applicants are being sought, and the council plans to meet with them in June.

Audit Report

Cameron Gulley, on speaker phone, went over details of the recently completed audit for the year ended March 31, 2021, which included most of the worse pandemic months.

The auditor stated that there were no issues or violations, and that the city “is in good shape.”

“The ladies in the office do a great of accounting for all the different funds, and Billy can account for every penny,” commended Gulley.

The motion to accept the audit was approved.

Other Business

•Randall Palmore was reappointed to the West Central Texas Municipal Water District Board.

•The council also voted to change the name in a contract with Shackelford Water Supply to Fort Griffin SUD and extend it 45 years.

•The city joined with other AEP-served cities in light of a recently proposed rate increase.