Kempner City Council, after a brief workshop session last week, approved an ordinance providing for rules to regulate use of facilities at the Sylvia Tucker Memorial Park.

Mayor Gene Isenhour said the ordinance governs the public use of future Kempner city parks.

“The ordinance is necessary to provide for public health, safety and welfare,” Isenhour said. “It also is needed to protect city property and to assure city recreational area guests a safe, beneficial and enjoyable experience.”

Rules prohibit man-made or natural objects, plants, animals or historical relics from being removed from the park. Also, no pets or horseback riding will be allowed in the city park.

Other rules state that fires may be lighted only in fireplaces, fire rings or grates provided by the city. Fireworks, explosives, flammable or other dangerous sub- stances are prohibited in city parks. Garbage, bottles, cans, paper and other trash shall not be dumped or strewn within boundaries of a city park. And no glass containers are allowed in the park.

Persons are not allowed to hunt, capture, kill, trap or have in their possession any wild animal in the park. In regard to weapons, the park rules ordinance states it is unlawful to use, carry or possess firearms of any description, including BB guns, air guns, bow and arrows, slingshots, paint-ball guns, or other weapons potentially dangerous to humans and wildlife.

Park rules, however, do not prohibit a person from carrying a concealed firearm, if the person is licensed to carry a concealed handgun in accordance with the Texas Concealed Weapons Act, or has a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm issued by another state.

Also, it is unlawful to shoot into park areas from beyond the park boundaries.

For a complete list of park rules, contact Kempner City Hall. The rules also have been posted at the entrance to the Sylvia Tucker Memorial Park.

Currently, the park is closed due to recent wet weather and park construction.

In other council business, Pedernales Electric Cooperative representative Wayne Tucker provided an update on PEC activities in the Kempner area. He presented the city a check for $11,555 for PEC’s 2009 franchise fees, which represents two percent of the gross sale of electrical use in Kempner, Tucker said.

He added that PEC once again is offering scholarships to students whose parents are PEC members. Deadline to apply is March 1, and information may be obtained at local PEC offices or online.

Many persons have complained recently about high electricity bills, and Tucker said this could be attributed to the unusually cold winter. He said PEC’s Energy Management Section offers suggestions to members on how to reduce electrical consumption.

Tucker also said PEC is increasing its use of green electrical power. The cooperative recently signed an agreement with a windmill turbine farm near Corpus Christi. PEC is committed to renewable energy, he added.

Also last week, Kempner resident Gary Guyer expressed appreciation to council members for their service to the community but also voiced his concern about the lack of citizen participation.

“At most council meetings, I am the only citizen present,” Guyer said. “Do the council members encourage citizens to attend the council meetings?”

Isenhour said the council seeks more citizen participation at meetings, but due to apathy or that most citizens agree with the actions of the council, they do not attend meetings.

“I wish every chair in the room was full at every meeting,” he said.

The mayor also complimented the local news media for its coverage of every council meeting, but he said that to be fully informed, people need to attend government meetings.