Kempner City Council last week took another step in the process regarding the voluntary annexation of 14.4 acres. A second public hearing was held for the property located at 104 Hill St., which is owned by Bachmayer Family Enterprises. Kempner Iron and Metal Recycling Center is on the property.

No comments for or against the proposal were made at either public hearing. Mayor Gene Isenhour said the next step in the process will be at the regular council meeting Dec. 9 when the first reading of the annexation proposal will be considered for approval.

A special called meeting will be Dec. 16 for the second and final reading of the ordinance. The meetings will be at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.

Also last week, the council approved the appointments, on the recommendation of Police Chief Joe Lorette, for two new reserve police officers. Lorette presented for approval Andrew J. Strouth of Lampasas, a newly commissioned officer, and Sharon L. Powell, who has 11 years' experience as a municipal traffic officer.

"Powell is presently employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice," Lorette said. "Prior to that she was a veteran traffic officer with the city of Copperas Cove."

Strouth is the owner of an auto windshield repair and replacement glass business in Lampasas. He is a recent graduate of the Central Texas Police Academy.

"Although I am in the auto glass business, I have always wanted to do police work, and am willing to do voluntary police work in Kempner to gain more law enforcement experience," Strouth said.

All necessary background checks have been conducted on the new officers, Lorette said.

In other business, Pedernales Electric Cooperative representative Nance Neve updated the council on PEC activities in the area. A new PEC office will open soon at Seward Junction on U.S. Highway 183, Ms. Neve said.

She also reported a new transformer at the Copperas Cove substation has been installed. PEC recently constructed new enlarged power lines from the substation off Big Divide Road to provide additional electric power in the Kempner area. With the new transformer, there should be fewer power outages in the area, she added.

Each year PEC sponsors the Youth Tour Contest, Ms. Neve also said. Although the deadline has passed for this year, she encouraged eligible high school students to enter next year.

Participants will be required to write an essay dealing with a timely topic. Students who have completed their sophomore, junior or senior year, and whose parents or legal guardians are PEC members, are eligible to enter.

Winners will receive an expensepaid trip to Washington, D.C. More information may be obtained from the PEC Web site or the local PEC office, she said.

Finally, Ms. Neve said that at a recent PEC meeting directors adopted a resolution that sets a goal of reducing residential and business electric consumption by 20 percent. Directors also set a goal that 30 percent of PEC's electric power will come from renewable sources by 2010.

Sources will include windmills in West Texas.