To show its continued support for the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department, the Kempner City Council each year designates $1,000 for fire-fighting training. At a recent council meeting, Mayor Gene Isenhour presented a $1,000 check to Kempner VFD President Bud Broeker.

"We appreciate what the fire department does for the community," Isenhour said. "This check is a small way to show our thanks to all members of the volunteer fire department."

Broeker expressed his appreciation and said that 12 members of the department will be attending training at Texas A&M this summer. The donation will help defray some of the expenses.

In a related matter, the Kempner VFD has announced it no longer will fill swimming pools for residents. Isenhour said when the fire department pumps water from a fire hydrant to fill a pool, all Kempner Water Supply customers are helping pay for the water.

Also, most modern fire trucks use a type of soap in their tanks to aid in fighting fires, and people do not want soap in their pools. The time spent filling a pool could be more efficiently used for fighting fires or in training, the mayor added.

In other council business, Building Com- mission Chairman Ray Upp reported on the progress of demolition of an unsafe structure on the Dowdy property on Orchard Street.

"I recently inspected the property, and everything meets our specifications," Upp said. "The old house has been completely torn down, and all materials have been removed from the site, except for a rock chimney. No other action is necessary."

Upp added that the property owners plan to construct a concrete slab at the chimney and make it a picnic area.

The property has been enhanced and is an improvement to the city, he said.

Isenhour expressed his appreciation to the committee and the Dowdy family for their quick action in removing an unsafe building and their efforts to make Kempner a safer community.

Also at the meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Paul Cook and Councilman Bob Crane reported on a recent meeting of the Texas Colorado River Floodplain Coalition. Cook said the coalition has expanded its mission to include other disasters in addition to flooding.

"Most people may not know that parts of Texas experienced an earthquake this year," he said.

Cook added that the coalition and other participating entities are working to prepare a multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan to identify and assess a community's natural hazard risks and how best to minimize those risks.

The city of Kempner is in a unique situation in that it lies in the Brazos River watershed basin but is included in the Colorado River Floodplain Coalition. Since all of Lampasas County is in the Lower Colorado River Authority jurisdic- tion, Kempner is eligible to join the coalition.

"It is possible the city is eligible for grants that would assist Kempner in hazard mitigation, and the city would not have to go through the county," Cook said. "The coalition is now soliciting the public to complete a survey to determine what hazards are the main concerns of the community."

Kempner City Council will meet again in regular session Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.