The Denver City City Council met in regular session on Monday, January 20, where they addressed their agenda.
After the invocation by Councilman Robert Hanneman and pledges to both the United States and Texas flags and approving the minutes from the previous meeting the Council moved into their agenda.
During the announcement portion of the meeting County Judge Jim Barron updated the Council concerning the County helping with the demolition of the D-Mac building. Mayor Hicks had met with the Commissioners in a previous meeting asking for the counties help in tearing down the building. The total cost for the demolition is estimated to be $49,000 and Judge Barron said the County was willing to pay $24,500 toward the project. He also added if the cost was higher the County would still help with half of the cost. Mayor Hicks and Councilman Clinton Bowman thanked Judge Barron and the Commissioners Court for their help.
Also, during the announcements three students from the junior high along with their instructor Yolanda Luster met with the Council to tell them about a bake sale they had recently conducted to raise funds for the animal shelter. Mayor Hicks thanked the students and their instructor for their contribution to the animal shelter.
Moving into the agenda the Council unanimously approved an amendment to the Denver City airport project. The County had also discussed and unanimously approved this same amendment during their morning meeting. The original grant was for $300,000 and the amendment was to increase the grant by $57,700 based on negotiated fees. This addition raised the grant to $357,700.
The project is described as design services to rehabilitate and mark Runway 4-22 and Runway 8-26 and rehabilitate hangar access taxiways and apron at the Denver City airport.
Chief of Police David Hennigan met with the Council with a request to consider installation of new traffic control device at the intersection of 15th Street and Main Street. Currently this is a two way stop with stop signs for north bound drivers on Main street and east bound traffic on 15th street. Hennigan is wanting to add an additional stop sign for west bound traffic on 15th street making it a three way stop.
“I have been here about a year and a half and I have personally witnessed three or four near accidents at this intersection,” Hennigan said. “I think this intersection is just an accident ready to happen. I recommend we should make this a true three-way stop intersection.”
When Councilman Bowman asked how long this intersection had been just a two way stop different opinions were expressed with estimates dating back to the mid 1960’s and even before.
After more discussion a motion was made to table this item until the next meeting.
And in the last item on the agenda the Council unanimously approved an Interlocal Cooperation Contract with Texas DPS for Failure to Appear Program. The purpose of the Contract is to deny renewal of the driver license of a person who “fails to appear for a complaint or citation or fails to pay or satisfy a judgement ordering payment of a fine and cost in the manner ordered by the Court in a matter involving an offense that (the) Court has jurisdiction of under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. Chapter 4.”
With there being no reason to go into Executive Session, a motion was made to the pay the regular bills that totaled $180,421.94 and Manuel checks that totaled $66,637.53. Included in the Manuel Checks was a Natural Gas Transfer that totaled $21,251.86
Councilmembers in attendance included Joan Breith, Ronald Weir, Robert Hanneman, Clinton Bowman, Mark Sherman, and Keith Mensch along with Mayor Tommy Hicks.
The next meeting will be held on Monday, February 3, in the Council chambers starting at 7pm.
