Face masks ‘highly recommended’
By Melinda L. Lucas
The two longest discussions at Monday’s city council session came during the citizens forum portion of the meeting, and although there was no action taken on either subject, council members expressed solid viewpoints on wearing face masks and also about the possibility of selling the youth center building to ResourceCare.
The council will meet again on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 10:00 a.m. They expect to propose a tax rate at that meeting.
Face Mask Feelings
Mayor Susan Montgomery stated that she had been approached numerous times in recent weeks about a face mask mandate.
“We are following the governor’s guidelines about masks, so we’re not going to require it at this time,” said Montgomery. “We do, however, need to let people know our feelings about the importance of wearing face masks in public and set an example by doing it ourselves.”
Most of the council members verbally agreed that the city should “highly recommend” that local citizens get in the habit of wearing masks.
Austin Sherwood commented that he had recently had a conversation with emergency physician and Albany resident Justin Cormack, who is very concerned about what is currently happening in the Hendrick ER.
“They reached a point last week where they were down to one ventilator, and the ICU beds were all full,” said Sherwood. “Normally, they can send overflow to Lubbock or DFW, but those beds were full too.”
Sherwood said that Cormack strongly recommended the wearing of face masks in public as a preventative measure, as well as observing other precautions.
“We have a lack of resources in rural West Texas, and he is afraid that we will see people dying because of that at some point,” said Sherwood. “They were almost down to having to make a decision, if they had a car accident or something, of whether to pull one of those ventilators or not.”
Montgomery reported that she had been in frequent contact with school officials, and although Albany ISD is not requiring that face masks be worn, they are limiting the stadium and gyms to 50 percent capacity.
The mayor and several other council members expressed hope that they would see most fans wearing masks at all sports events.
Youth Center
City manager Billy Holson said that he plans to put the possible sale or lease of the Albany Youth Center on the September agenda, but he explained the city’s legal position and asked council members for their opinions on the matter.
Holson stated that since ResourceCare falls within the boundaries of a nonprofit corporation and uses the facility for public good, the council is allowed to sell the building to RC without sealed bids. However, if it is sold for less than appraised value and in the future, the building is abandoned or is no longer used for the public good, ownership will revert back to the city.
Council member Ragan Riley, who is also on the RC staff, said that RC board members are concerned about the stipulation that the building will revert to city ownership should ResourceCare ever stop providing services at the property.
“The Resource Center has already put over $100,000 into improvements and repairs,” said Riley.
She emphasized that funding for the improvements has all come from private donations, and that foundations won’t approve grants unless the property is actually owned rather than leased by ResourceCare.
“So it sounds like the only hiccup in the whole thing is the part about it coming back to the city if it’s abandoned?” said Don Taggart.
Most of the council members voiced the opinion that they wished to sell the building to Resource Care at a low price.
Holson agreed, but explained that the city’s “hands are tied” to the legal condition.
Sherwood suggested that the RC board submit a purchase offer before the September meeting and let the council decide whether or not to accept it.
Other Business
•The council voted to renew their contract with Priority Power Management utility brokers for a six-month period until the current utility contract expires in order to get Holson’s signature on the document in the interim instead of the previous city manager’s signature.
•Action to approve a long-term water transportation agreement between West Central Texas Municipal Water District and the city was tabled until Holson can check on one portion of the contract concerning a specific transportation fee for water going to another location.
