Kempner has new attorney
By MAT TAYLOR Special Correspondent

In a typically brief Kempner City Council meeting recently, the council OK'd Mayor Gene Isenhour's appointment of Jeffrey D. Parker to fill the city prosecuting attorney vacancy. Isenhour then administered the oath of office.

Parker was late to the meeting and apologized for being locked in the Bell County Jail. "No, I was not arrested. I was visiting clients about five o'clock this afternoon, and there is a shift change at 5:30 and the jail was locked down, and I was left on the second floor."

He said his cell phone could not get service, and his wife contacted officials, but it took almost two hours to get him out.

Parker is a native of Waco and a graduate of Baylor Law School. He served several years as a prosecuting attorney in Bell County, and now is in private practice. He said he is interested in doing some prosecuting again and can afford to work for Kempner at a nominal cost.

The prosecuting attorney is married to the former Jennifer McCoy of Lampasas. They have four children and reside in Belton.

In other business, the mayor updated council members on street repairs. Repairs and seal-coating have been completed on Jackrabbit Lane, and maintenance was performed on Armadillo Lane.

"The city engineer has recommended that Armadillo be the next street to be seal-coated," the mayor said.

Isenhour noted that the contractor who completed the recent street repairs also reconstructed Apache Street last year.

The contractor inspected Apache Street and repaired some sections at no cost to the city, he added.

Maintenance of city right of ways also was discussed. State law stipulates it is the property owner's responsibility to maintain any vegetation on the right of way that adjoins his or her property.

Isenhour said he hoped that citizens would perform this maintenance voluntarily without the city having to take legal action.

In other matters, the mayor announced that Kempner held a jury trial on Dec. 12. Fifty jury summons were mailed to citizens.

"Of those, seven were returned as not deliverable, four people said they no longer resided in the city, and five were exempt due to age, etc.," Isenhour said. "Of the others, only 24 people showed up.

"Jury duty is a citizen's responsibility, and those who did not report for jury duty will be fined $100."

Also, City Secretary Frances Spinney said the city hasn't received any bids for sale of its old police car, and no one responded to an advertisement to purchase the vehicle. Isenhour said the city could dispose of the car in any manner it chooses. The vehicle can be donated to someone or sold for scrap.

The council will meet tonight at 7 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers.