Big Spring City Council approves nine out of 11 properties for abatement
The highlight of Tuesday evening's regular meeting of the Big Spring City Council was consideration of public nuisance abatement for 11 properties.
The meeting began with an invocation led by Scott Jimenez, followed by recitation of the U.S. and Texas pledges of allegiance.
Next, the public was allotted time to address the city council. One Big Spring resident — Kimberly Garrison — approached city council members regarding one of the properties considered for possible abatement. However, Big Spring mayor Robert Moore advised Mrs. Garrison that she would be allotted time to address city council during the public hearing for the property in question. There were no other public comments.
Next was a presentation of a donation check for $16,287.54 from Big Spring resident Scott Emerson to the Big Spring Animal Shelter. Emerson raised the funds in response to a distemper outbreak at the Animal Shelter a year ago. Big Spring Chief of Police Chad Williams accepted the check from Mr. Emerson.
Following the presentation, city council moved to a public hearing on abatement of the 11 properties noted previously. Big Spring code enforcement officers presented city council with documentation and pictures of the properties for the consideration of abatement. Owners were also allotted time to address the city council regarding their properties and to plead their case on the matter.
There were only three property owners that chose to address the city council at the meeting.
Following the public hearings, nine out of the 11 properties were approved unanimously to be abated. Properties located at 201 NE Second St. and 203 NE Second St. were the only two properties under consideration that were not approved for abatement. Code enforcement officer Roy Marquez advised that the city's Code Enforcement division did not wish to seek abatement for the those two specific properties, citing that the owners of the properties had taken the proper actions to clean them up and did not warrant an abatement judgement.
The remaining nine properties under consideration were approved by city
council for abatement, including: 1400 State Park Drive - owned by Earl D. Kolden; 2509 Old Hwy 80 - owned by Leonor Rios; 2714 Lynn - owned by Donald Deen Booth; 209 Circle Drive - owned by Arboh Group, LLC; 510 South Benton - owned by Thomas Dorothy; 109 NW 10th St. - owned by David Ward; 1604 E. 16th St. - owned by Tanya Gean Jewett; 702 E. 15th St. - owned by Oscar H. Hernandez; and 1001 Sycamore - owned by Michael Garrison.
Per Big Spring city attorney Andrew Hagen, owners of the properties that were abated will have 30 days to have their properties cleaned before the City of Big Spring will take action to clean the properties. In the event that the city does end up cleaning the properties, then the city will bill the owners for services rendered.
Other highlights from Tuesday's city council meeting included the regular report provided by City Manager Todd Darden. Some of the things included in Mr. Darden's report included: 12 tons of trash was collected during the Large Item Pick-up for District 1. Darden also advised that the renovations and finishing touches for the Big Spring Animal Shelter were almost complete, and that an adoption coordinator has been hired and should be starting fairly soon. Darden also advised that Jan. 26 is Howard County Day and — weather permitting — officials and staff will travel to Austin to meet with state legislators.
Mr. Darden also advised that this would be Big Spring Fire Chief Craig Ferguson's last city council meeting as he will be retiring soon. Mr. Darden thanked Chief Ferguson for his service and wished him the best moving forward.
Big Spring Fire Chief Craig Ferguson provided a COVID update in which he advised that there was an average of 29 cases per week back in December, and that in this month, so far, there has been an average of six cases per week. Currently, there are no COVID cases being treated at Scenic Mountain Medical Center. Chief Ferguson also advised that the public still needs to continue to take precautions against COVID and other respiratory illnesses. Chief Ferguson also advised that Howard County is a low risk area for COVID at this time but could change at any moment.
Other highlights from Tuesday's city council meeting included the approval and appointment of Raul Marquez Jr. to the Civil Service Commission, the approval of a resolution supporting the proposed project for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 2023 Competitive Housing Tax Credit, "The Trails at Big Spring" project, and pledging $250 in fees towards the project.
A resolution disallowing concealed or open carrying of a handgun into a city council meeting by a holder of a handgun license failed. Director of the Big Spring's Mcmahon-wrinkle Airpark Mike
Feeley advised city council members that there has been difficulty maintaining a quorum at Aviation Advisory Board meetings. He suggested that the board be dissolved and allow those members to be free to serve on other committees and boards. City Councilman Nick Ornelas from District 1, advised that his appointee was never notified about being sworn in nor about any meetings. The item was eventually tabled for a later time.
The city council also went into executive closed session to deliberate regarding the exchange, lease, lease or value of real property, including the lease of Permian Holdings LP of five acres at Big Spring Mcmahon-wrinkle Airpark, leases of Municipal Corrections Finance L.P. (GEO), provide legal advice and counsel with respect to litigation and potential litigation, and deliberation regarding economic development negotiations for a development agreement for the southeast corner of East Marcy Dr. and South Goliad St.
Before the meeting adjourned several council members made comments praising certain individuals for their hard work and service. Those individuals were Sandy Smith, finance director; and Shane Bowles, public works director. The meeting was adjourned shortly after.
If you would like more information regarding Tuesday's city council meeting or would like to watch the meeting, you can visit https://bigspringtx.portal.civicclerk.com/event/240/media.