The City Council met in regular session on Monday night, March 7, where they addressed their regular agenda.
Chief of Police Jack Miller was in attendance and gave his annual police contact 2015 report as required by law. According to his report there were 478 traffic stops in Denver City. Of that number there were 462 citations issued, 15 arrest, and 1 both. Of that same number 169 were Caucasian, 303 were Hispanic, 4 African, 1 Asian, and 1 Middle Eastern.
Miller went on to report that of that same number the officer knew of their Ethnicity 175 times and did not know 303 times. There were 24 searches and 454 no searches and of that number that were searched one was consensual and 23 were not.
The last item covered by Miller concerned complaints for racial profiling. Although Miller said that he’s sure there were complaints against his office or officers there were no official complaints concerning racial profiling.
The dates for the report was from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015.
Criminal District Attorney Bill Helwig also addressed the Council concerning continued financial support for the special investigator position in his office. He told the Council that because of their financial support he is able to make that position very competitive with other counties.
Helwig went on to say he is currently looking for a replacement for his special investigator Ray Scifres who was elected Sheriff of Hockley County is last week’s election when he unseated incumbent R. C. Cheek. He went on to say although he had no one particular in mind he did have an “umbrella” of possible candidates he would like to visit with.
The City of Denver City contributes $11,500 toward the salary.
In the next item the Council unanimously approved the annexation of six tracts of land, approximately 13.55 acres, on the north and south side of the new Stripes. Four of the acres are on the north side, where new construction is currently underway on a new Pizza Hut, and the other two tracts are on the south side of Stripes.
Since this area is in a “reinvestment zone” there is a tax abatement for new construction or upgrading existing property of a minimum of $4,000.
David also updated the Council on an Xcel/SPS “Statement of Intent” to increase the electricity rates. The overall increase among the different entities would total $71,864,060, which is a 14.41% increase, with Residential increases shouldering $20,042,129 of that increase which is 11.23%.
Specifically for residents this would be a $10.50 per month increase over the current $9.50.
Should the city take no action on this proposal these new rates will become effective on March 22, 2016.
With that being said the Council unanimously approved a Resolution that basically said the City of Denver City will be joining forces with other cities, AXM, to suspend SPS proposed effective date in connection with its statement of intent submitted on about February 16, 2016. In the resolution it’s stated that SPS’s proposed effective date of March 22, 2016 for its filing of February 16, 2016, is “hereby suspended for an additional 90 days, or at least until June 20, 2016.”
The Council then unanimously approved the appointment of election judges for 2016. Beverly Moreno will be the Election Judge and Judy Vallie will be the Alternate Judge.
After going into Executive Session the Council came out of their session and approved bills that totaled $160,024.11.
Council members Joan Breith, Ronald Weir, Robert Hanneman, Barbara Qualls, Dalphene Benson, and Keith Mensch along with Mayor Tommy Hicks were all in attendance.
The next meeting will be held on Monday, March 21 at 7 pm.
