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Heritage Cove project
supporters pack city hall
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
GUN BARREL CITY–The Gun Barrel City Council faced a room just short of a
packed house Tuesday night.
Nearly all present had a keen interest in supporting the Heritage Cove
development.
Over the last four city council meetings, the council has rejected
requests for a joint check to Landers Development and East Cedar Creek
Fresh Water Supply District to hook up the project’s sewer lines to the
main.
That amount totals $35,312.58, based on the project’s estimated impact
on the recently expanded wastewater treatment plant.
Though councilman Charles Townsend’s intent in placing the discussion
item on the agenda was to offer a possible solution to the impasse the
council faces, the wording of the item prohibited the council from
taking any action.
After citizen comments on the item, Townsend said his idea is to have
the city cut a check to ECCFWSD and get reimbursed from the Economic
Development Corporation.
“I feel he (Townsend) has a valid suggestion for discussion,” councilman
Todd Hogan responded.
Hogan and councilwoman Kathy Cochran were the focus of much criticism in
the public comments on the issue. Councilwoman Patsy Black, who also
voted against releasing funds “on principle,” was absent.
The sticking point centered on one paragraph of the performance
agreement, which states the EDC “shall have no obligation to fund any
grant request or disburse any proceeds if an Event of Default occurs.”
The agreement also bars the developer from applying for and receiving
any future grants or aid.
Mayor Paul Eaton, based on his 30 years as a developer meeting contract
obligations large and small, commented on a necessary element he called
“good faith.” Things always occur to alter the contract during the
performance of a job, he said – “that’s when good faith comes into
play.”
“I know Mr. Landers is a man of his word,” he added toward the end of
the meeting.
The roomful of spectators chose Dennis Wood, the former president of the
city’s Economic Development Corporation, to voice their view. Wood
presented a petition with 200 names asking the council to honor their
agreement to pay the impact fee.
Wood pointed out the only defaults with the original agreements from two
years ago are over completion dates. He outlined valid reasons for
missing those dates, including excessive rain.
“Why aren’t we bending over backwards to help him?” Wood asked as he
outlined the benefits the project promises to the city.
His speech was greeted with loud clapping and whistling.
After the meeting, when Wood examined the paragraph pointed to by
Cochran and Hogan, he told The Monitor the wording does not prohibit the
council from approving the check for the $35,000 – it simply says they
are under “no obligation.”
“It’s still up to them. It’s not illegal for them to follow through on
their promise,” Wood said.
Current EDC vice president Richard Wendel reminded the council the EDC’s
job is to attract developers and new business to the city.
“The council is to ensure we are using taxpayers’ money for that
purpose. Let us continue to do our job,” he said.
Real estate agent and a Landers Development spokesman Curtis Webster
asked the council what had happened to the spirit of cooperation that
was evident at the project’s ground-breaking Aug. 21, 2005. “That was a
proud day in Gun Barrel City,” he said.
Realtor Buck Gentry said he wanted “Gun Barrel City to be a great city,
not a city of broken promises.”
Ken Landers used his comments to correct misinformation he felt the
council was operating under.
“I have never asked the city for money,” he said.
“I purchased a failed project for $2,850,000 in exchange for the land,”
Landers pointed out. “None of that money came from the city. I have
never once refused to complete a single item in any of our agreements. I
only request more time to complete certain items.
“What we have tried to do for this community is take over an unfinished
project that the EDC could not complete and that you spent millions of
dollars of taxpayers’ money on, and make it successful,” he added.
Former councilman Keith Crozier ended his comments with a request that
Hogan refrain from voting on issues pertaining to Heritage Cove while
involved in litigation with its developer.
Councilman Marty Goss explained during the council discussion of the
agenda item that if a lawsuit was enough to prohibit a council member
from voting on a given issue, then any member could be gagged on any
controversial issue simply by the filing of a lawsuit against them.
The law only prohibits a council member from voting on a particular
issue if they are charged with a crime, he said.
Ken Landers has made a number of allegations against Hogan pertaining to
misuse of his office, both as an IRS agent and a councilman in
association with the Heritage Cove project.
“I am not against this project,” Hogan said. “However, we are a
government entity overseeing the spending of taxpayers’ funds – that
puts us at a higher level of accountability. We have to adhere to those
contracts.
“This isn’t personal to me. I have nothing to gain from this project,”
he said.
Hogan spoke of his son achieving Eagle Scout last month and the 12 rules
making up the Boy Scout Code of Conduct.
“How can I be an effective leader, if I do not adhere to those
principles?” he reasoned.
Clemmo hired as Kemp police chief
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–The law enforcement office in Kemp is now up by one.
The Kemp City council hired Richard Clemmo as the city’s chief of police
Tuesday.
Clemmo currently works as a shift sergeant with the Kaufman Sheriff’s
Department. He also has investigative experience.
Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Richard Clemmo (left) is welcomed by Mayor Billy Teel as the new Kemp
police chief.
Clemmo is expected to take up his new duties as soon
as he is able to free himself from his former obligation to Kaufman
County.
His wife, Vanessa, is the Precinct 4 deputy constable. The couple have a
5-year-old son, Colton.
Clemmo is a 1988 Kemp High School graduate. He also attended Tarlton
State University.
“We are really excited to have a well-qualified local person on board.
He knows the community and its issues,” city manager James Stroman said.
Clemmo looks forward to working in Kemp.
“I’m a home-town boy, and I’m glad to come home and see what we can do
to help the community,” he said.
His goals are simple.
“I want to bring the department back up to a viable police department,”
Clemmo said.
“We need to get a handle on some of these breakins and motor vehicle
thefts that have been reported and I want to see more community
involvement,” he explained.
He will earn a salary of $40,000 per year.
In other business, council members:
• heard the ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating may be lowered.
Stroman said a recent inspection of fire and water department services
for the city went very well.
The ISO number is currently six, but may be lowered to a five or four,
which could result in lower insurance premiums for Kemp homeowners, he
explained.
• heard a petition for annexation is being prepared by the Beacon Hills
developer.
A new survey is being completed with correct metes and bounds for the
development off U.S. Highway 175 bordering Kemp on the east, Stroman
reported.
A good portion of the property could meet the annexation requirements
before the end of the year, he said.
• heard preparations for the new Sonic Restaurant are still underway,
and the owner of the business is hoping to open after the first of the
year.
• approved The Monitor as the official newspaper for the city of Kemp.
• approved, with noted changes, the final plat for Phase I of the
Lonesome Creek subdivision.
• reminded property owners it is their responsibility to maintain their
property (cut the grass, etc.) all the way to the street, including the
city easement.
Council members noted some residents kept their yards mowed, but stopped
at the easement line and allowed grass, and weeds to grow up in the
strip between their yard and the street.
Mowing ordinance reviewed and
altered
Monitor Staff Reports
SEVEN POINTS–The Seven Points City Council amended its code of
ordinances slightly.
Pertaining to the health and safety section of the code, council members
deleted a portion that gave undeveloped property owners an out on
keeping their property mowed.
Formerly, the ordinance allowed grass and brush to grow higher than six
inches, if the undeveloped property is located more than 50 feet from a
public street or from developed property.
“We deleted the whole 50-feet section of the ordinance,” Mayor Gerald
Taylor told The Monitor.
The second part of that ordinance dealing with the upkeep of bar ditches
was left unchanged, he said.
The council considered requiring property owners to also maintain the
bar ditches bordering their property and the street.
“We’ll (the city) just keep on trying to keep those bar ditches mowed
and clear,” he added.
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