Two citizens – Judi Rowe and Joan Grabowski — addressed the city council Monday evening at its monthly meeting held in council chambers.
 
Rowe addressed the council first. She said John Droll, council member, mentioned, at the close of last months meeting, his disappointment that the mayor had been using the city vehicle for personal use. The mayor used the city vehicle during the time his vehicle was in the shop for repair.
 
Rowe said she was disappointed as well and asked several questions about the usage of the city’s vehicle. She asked the following questions:
• How long has the mayor been utilizing the city vehicle for personal transportation and what liability insurance changes were necessary for this use to occur?
• How long the mayor will be using the city’s vehicle?
• Who is responsible for the fuel cost?
• What mileage records are available?
• What is the city’s policy on the use of city vehicles?
 
Mayor Frank Jackson told Rowe that the council could not comment on agenda items. The council was unable to comment since she had not asked to be on the agenda.
 
He did say, however, that his vehicle was out of the shop the next day. He said he attends park board meetings, city council meetings and is at city hall on weekends. According to the policy, he said that others drive city cars as well.
 
“Mine was broken down,” he explained.
 
Rowe said personal use of a city vehicle should be public information.
 
“I have nothing to hide. My door is always open,” Jackson said. “Some people have a problem with me but I am still the mayor.”
 
Grabowski addressed the council concerning fireworks along Dallas Street on New Year’s Eve. She said it scared her dogs and some of them “sounded like a cannon going off.”
 
C.V. Johns, police chief, asked her if she called 9-1-1. She said she did not call because it was not an emergency. She said the problem was the number of fireworks going off and the volume of those fireworks.
 
In regular session, the council was to prioritize streets for repair in 2010.
 
Greg Richards, who is over the street department, made the motion for Brad Chambers, public works director; Teri Murdock, city secretary/administrator; and the mayor to drive the streets and bring back a recommendation to the council.
 
The council tabled an item concerning interlocal agreements for on-site septic facilities inspections between the city and Ellis County.
 
Murdock said she thought this pertained to the county doing sewer inspections in the city’s ETJ but was not certain and had not contacted the Department of Development for Ellis County. Mark Souder Sr., council member, said the council should not vote until they are certain about what they are voting on.
 
During department reports, Johns said officers received 82 calls to service during the month of December.
 
Johns said D.C. Morgan, animal control officer, received eight calls and captured two animals last month.
 
The warrant officer made 12 contacts last month and made one arrest.
 
Thomas Peyton, code enforcement officer, worked seven complaints in December and took action on all of them. He discovered 11 code violations and issued warnings on all of them.
 
The municipal court received 322 citations filed by the police department in December. The court filed 265 warrants and cleared 13.
 
Brad Chambers, public works director, said December was a busy month due to short weeks. He said the street crew patched potholes last month and will continue to do so when the weather warms up.
 
He said weather conditions have delayed the Couch Street bridge project. The bridge decking, scheduled for delivery before Christmas, should arrive this week.
 
The council also approved minutes from the December meeting, earned compensatory time and paid bills.