Staff Present: City Secretary Angie Young, and City Attorney Tim Sralla

Mayor Michelle Pittman called the meeting to order at 7:00pm and announced a quorum. Council Members present were Jo Ann Wilson, Ronnie Moore, Dawn Davis, Jeff Becraft, and Tim Robison.

Staff Present: City Secretary Angie Young, and City Attorney Tim Sralla

Citizen David Wilson gave the invocation and Mayor Pittman led the assembly in the pledge of allegiance.

Citizens Presentations and Public Input for Future Agenda Items

Sam Eason spoke regarding appointment to the Zoning Board of Adjustments and also welcomed the new City Attorney.

Deborah Becraft spoke regarding the right to speak on an agenda item and the need to keep council meetings functional. She also spoke in favor of the Taco Casa sign

Announcements from Mayor and Council Members

Council member Wilson reminded the audience of the times for the Fall Festival asked the audience to see a Parks & Recreation Board Member about ways to volunteer.

Consent Agenda

Council Member Wilson made a motion to approve the minutes of the September 10th, 2015 meeting and the September 15th meeting. Council Member Moore seconded the motion. All voted aye, the motion carried.

Public Hearing

At 7:09pm the mayor opened the Public Hearing on the sign variance requested by Taco Casa. Citizen Sam Eason spoke regarding the last public hearing for the sign variance, the first four requests by Taco Casa, and his opinion that the Taco Casa will build even if the variance is not granted. He also spoke to the interference with the views, effect on property values, and the intent and spirit of the ordinances that were written and asked that there be no more variances given for pole signs.

Citizen Kemp Akeman spoke in opposition to the variance request and also to the appointment of a Zoning Board of Adjustments being representative of all regions of the city. Citizen LeeAnn Mackowski spoke in favor of a monument sign only. Citizen Steve Cole spoke in opposition to the variance and asked Taco Casa to seek other options for signs. Citizen Dan Sessler spoke on the sign and asked whether the city wanted to be a bedroom community or look like a truck stop. Citizen Tommie spoke to the code enforcement for existing signs that look bad for businesses that have closed. Citizen Nathan Robertson said these citizens do not speak for all of them.

Will Reed spoke on behalf of his request for this variance and said that if everyone did not want it the okay but that is not the case. Mayor Pittman asked City Attorney Sralla for a legal opinion. Mr. Sralla explained the criteria for granting a variance; it creates a hardship that is not self imposed, the condition is unique, is it going to injure other properties , and is it in line with what the surrounding properties are. Mr. Reed stated that it will cause a hardship. Citizen LeeAnn Crenshaw said that if Taco Casa will put sign on the highway for people to know what is at the exit then they would not need a pole sign. Citizen David Wilson said that Rhome has tried to get other businesses. He questioned the future of Rhome if we keep businesses out. He is not against it. Citizen Tommie Eason said when other businesses come they will want to do the same. Mr. Reed said that Love’s would not have come if they could not have their sign. Citizen Leeann Mackowski said if people want Taco Casa they can drive to Roanoke. Citizen David Wilson said this is progress and without it we will die on this hill. Citizen Nathan Robertson asked if the sign could be turned off and Mr. Reed said yes it could. Council Member Moore and Wilson both agreed that the sign was needed. Council Member Robison said the signs will clutter Hwy 287 and suggested the use of a billboard. Council Member Wilson said there are no billboards allowed in Rhome. Citizen David Wilson said that just because one sign variance is passed does not mean all of them are going to be. Council Member Moore mad a motion to approve the variance request for a 75 foot pole sign. Council member Wilson seconded the motion. Council member Robison voted nay. All others voted aye, the motion carried.

Old Business

Mayor Pittman announced that this budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by $42,225.00 which is a 6.02% increase from last year, and the property tax revenue raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $3,310.00. She also noted that the proposed budget does not include the 25% match of the FEMA funds or the cost of the comprehensive plan and also does not account for funds to address the I&I issues. Council Member Wilson said the comprehensive plan will take about $25,000.00 and that is about half of the costs and it will take about six months to get it going. Mayor Pittman said that these amounts can be amended if need be. She also noted that if the tax rate changes so do the dollars. Council member Wilson asked where to get the $25,000.00 for the comprehensive plan and Mayor Pittman suggested taking $25,000.00 of the streets and address the streets in the comprehensive plan. Council Member Robison said he understands the need for the plan and Council Member Wilson said we may be able to get a bond for the streets. Mayor Pittman confirmed to take $25,000.00 from streets to fund the comprehensive plan and put it in contract labor. She also noted that the $25,000.00 for the FEMA match was added in as well. Citizen Sam Eason asked if this budget assumed no rollback. Council member Becraft said that every city around us has raised taxes .04-.05 cents. Mayor Pittman said that Rhome raised taxes about three years ago. And if they are rolled back it is very hard to raise them again. There being no further discussion Council Member Moore made a motion to approve the budget with the addition of the $25,000.00 for the FEMA match and moving $25,000.00 from streets to fund a comprehensive plan. Council Members Robison, Becraft, and Wilson voted aye, Council Member Davis abstained. The motion passed.

Council Member Wilson moved that the city adopt the tax rate of .5833/100, which is an increase of 6.02% over last year’s rate of .5432/100; Maintenance and Operations is .2463/100 and the Interest & Sinking is .3370; last year’s Maintenance & Operations was .1750/100 and Interest & Sinking was .4830/100 for a total of .5833/100. Citizen Sam Eason said he is opposed to the tax rate since there is no comprehensive plan to support it and pointed to the incompetence of the council for the last 16 years and said the city needed to manage the funds better then raise taxes if needed and said there would be a roll back election if passed. Council Member Wilson made the motion and Council Members Moore, Robison, Becraft, and Davis all voted aye. The motion passed.

Vice Chair Chip Kowalski addressed the update of the Fall Festival. He noted that they have several sponsors and donations and that there will be food vendors and games. He also confirmed the schedule of events.

City Secretary Angie Young said she is still awaiting and answer from the surveyor as to when he can come re-survey the Norman Property.

Council Member Moore said he would like to continue to look at USE and have them come back and have David Wilson go with them due to his knowledge of the city infrastructure. Council Member Wilson said we need to do reference checks on other cities that use them.

Darrell Fitch addressed the progress of the Fire Department’s efforts to look into separation from the city. He said it takes a lot of time the process will take 6 -12 months.

Mayor Pittman addressed the request from the Public Works crew regarding the TCEQ inspection and violation regarding the I&I issues. TCEQ will set a date to report and give us 30 days to make a plan and present it. She also said we will be working with the city engineers on the plan and also asked David Wilson to assist. She asked for a skeleton plan by the next meeting.

Derek Turner from Jacob & Martin addressed the council regarding a comprehensive master plan. He gave a detailed backfround of the differences in a comprehensive pland and a capital improvement plan. He also explained the process for creating the plans, how and where to get gratns and what his firm can do to assist in this.

Council Member Wilson asked if we can still fund a comprehensive plan if the taxes are rolled bback. Counci Member Moore asked if the $25,000.00 set aside will do this. Derek Turner advised that they will bill in increments. Mayor Pittman asked Mr. Turner to prepare a proposal for the next council meeting

Sergeant Pennington address council regarding National Night Out, it is October 6th, 2015. He said this is a time meet officer and put a name and face behind the uniform, it is an event kids like a lot, and a good community building event as well. He noted that it will be sometime in the evening.

Council member Wilson asked if there were any changes to the Tarrant County Emergency Services Agreement for fiscal year 2015-2016, City Secretary Young said there were not. She then made the motion to approve this agreement. The motion was seconded by Council Member Moore. All voted aye, the motion carried.

Council Member Robison addressed the costs of the animal control contract. City Secretary Young confirmed the costs are based on actual expense incurred when picking up an animal. Council Member Wilson mad a motion to approve this contract for fiscal year 2015-2016. Council Member Moore seconded the motion. All voted aye, the motion carried.

Council Member Wilson made a motion to approve the Wise County Interlocal Agreement and Council Member Robison seconded the motion. All voted aye, the motion carried.

Citizens Sam and Tommie Eason both spoke about the mayor’s investigation of Police Chief Brandon Davis

At 9:08pm council convened into Executive Session. At 10:04pm council reconvened into regular session. There was no action as a result of the Executive Session.

Mayor Pittman announced that in regards to the investigation to please leave anyone’s children out of it, they are innocent and should not be targeted and asked for everyone to pass that on.

There being no further business, at 10:08pm Council Member Robison made a motion to adjourn. Council Member Moore seconded the motion. All voted aye, the motion carried.

CERTIFICATION:

Passed and approved on this the 8th day of October, 2015.

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Michelle Pittman, Mayor

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Angie Young, City Secretary