No action taken on proposed changes to park rules

Kempner City Council discussed several city ordinances during a recent workshop. In the regular session that followed, the council amended two ordinances and took no action on a proposed city park ordinance.

The council approved an amendment to the city sign ordinance to clarify the definition of a temporary sign. Any sign not constructed with permanent materials is considered temporary, and that includes banners and other signs not attached to a permanent structure, or any free-standing sign.

No action was taken on rules for the new Sylvia Tucker Memorial Park. Council members indicated rules that would prohibit hunting and the use of weapons need to be addressed in an ordinance.

At the same time, Mayor Gene Isenhour said the possession of firearms by anyone with a concealed handgun license needs to be clarified.

Park rules will be considered at the next council meeting, he said.

The council also OK’d an amendment to the ordinance that establishes minimum Municipal Court fines.

Isenhour said the original wording for speeding fines in areas with a 20 mph and over limit was $100. “This should have read $200 minimum fine, and the amendment corrects this wording.”

In other business, the council ordered a city election for May 8. Up for election this year are the mayor’s post, the Place 1 council seat held by Paul Cook and the Place 5 seat held by Melba Vandeveer.

The mayor said the first day to file for a ballot position was Monday and the last day to file is March 8.

Also last week, Police Chief David Sheedy updated the council on police department activities and ordinance violations. Sheedy said the department is working to get some sort of enforcement compliance.

“Previously, when a violation of a city ordinance was found, a letter was sent to the property owner to point out the violation and to give them time to fix the problem,” he said. “In most cases, this has worked, but there are other violations that need to be corrected.

“The police department’s main concern is to protect the health, welfare and safety of our citizens, and protect private property values,” Sheedy added.

In the future, the police chief said the department will take legal action on ordinance violations, if necessary.

Sheedy also said the state is requiring the department to purchase digital radios for each police vehicle by the end of the year.

Estimated cost of the radios is $11,000.

Isenhour said the council would have to include the radios in next year’s budget.

“This is another example of a state mandate that forces the council to take some action but does not provide any funding for the mandate,” he said.

In other business, the mayor said the city is still working on an application for a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant for the city park.

The $75,000 grant is a matching grant, but Isenhour said that should not be a problem since inkind services for the park already include $45,000 for donated labor, $20,000 for construction and $15,000 for other costs.

Isenhour also reported that resident Kay Casper has volunteered to create a catalog for information on the persons who have a memorial stone in the Wall of Honor at the Veterans Memorial in the Sylvia Tucker park.

Individuals who have purchased a stone may contact City Hall and complete a form that will help Mrs. Casper with the project. Veterans’ photos also will be accepted.