Kerr Promises WT Council

"I assure you that will be taken care of."

That promise on the animal problem was made Tuesday night by Code Enforcement Officer Mike Kerr to the West Tawakoni City Council at its regular semi-monthly meeting.

Kerr said the council and city had been plagued for a long time with dogs and cats running at large.

A mandatory rabies vaccination and tagging policy for all dogs and cats went into effect Jan. 1 in West Tawakoni.

Residents had until Feb. 1 to register their animals with the city.

"As of the date Feb. 1, 227 residents have registered their animals in the City of West Tawakoni," Kerr reported.

He said he had been given the job of eliminating the animals running at large. "That’s a job I’m going to do," he said.

Kerr reported that he had captured 45 dogs so far since the Feb. 1 deadline. Of that number, all but three had been adopted to homes. He said the three had to be euthanized because of advanced medical problems.

Kerr distributed copies of certification he had just achieved in animal control that would authorize him to use chemical capture.

He said the Drug Enforcement Administration required the license for most of the drugs utilized.

He said he was also in the process of buying some traps. He said the traps would be used for animals that could be trapped before using the chemical.

He said the owner of an animal that was picked up by him that was tagged would be issued a warning the first time. A second offense would require a citation.

Kerr said untagged animals would be captured and held 72 hours before disposition including possible euthanasia.

He recognized West Tawakoni City Park host Rob Butler for his help with the animal program.

The council unanimously approved a request for a specific use permit.

Karen Houston received approval for her Lelands Industries dealership. The company offers prefabricated cabins, sheds, playhouses and more.

Houston told the audience at a public hearing on the request before the council meeting that her business would be pretty and a nice addition to the city.

The location would be on a three-acre tract east of the entrance to Indian Oaks and west of Big D’s BBQ.

She also owns the nearby Tawakoni Apartments and has recently developed several properties in Quinlan and the Lake Tawakoni area.

A request by Lisa Arnold for a water bill adjustment was tabled until the next meeting.

Arnold told the council that her grandson who is stationed at Minot, N.D., in the U.S. Air Force had a house in West Tawakoni that experienced a water leak.

She said a $500-plus bill was received, and she called the city for a reread of the meter.

She complained that the meter reader did not report a leak despite the mud caused by the leak, and a second bill was received that resulted in a total cost of more than $800.

City Administrator Cloy Richards said the council had earlier given the city staff authority to adjust bills from leaks on the sewer portion of the bill since the sewer service had not been used.

The adjustment would take $267 off the bill in question.

Some members of the council requested time for additional information and to give consideration to the bill since it was for a member of the Armed Forces.

Jim Walters appointed

The council appointed Jim Walters to serve on the West Tawakoni Economic Development Commission (EDC). Walters owns the Catfish House restaurant.

Walters will fill the vacancy left with the resignation of Gena Upchurch. Her resignation was accepted prior to naming Walters to the post.

City Administrator Cloy Richards gave an update on meetings of the City Hall Committee that he said met Monday with the EDC.

Richards said the committee had reached a point that it felt it needed further direction from the council before continuing.

He said the group had a 7,500 square-foot building under consideration at a cost of $500,000.

The cost did not include furnishings but included a completed metal building.

The discussion with the EDC was to combine a community meeting room with the city hall. The EDC could pay for the community room portion of the building but not for city offices.

Richards reminded the council that the city had about three years remaining on an agreement from the Sabine River Authority for a long-term lease on land for the facility. He said the contract required "substantial progress" on the building by the end of the original five-year agreement.

Consensus agreement was given to continue on plans for the building.

Mayor Protem Pete Yoho also serves as president of the EDC. He said a meeting would be held Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m. at city hall to review the five applications for the façade grants.

The EDC recently offered to give grants to businesses in West Tawakoni who wanted to improve their outside appearances.

He said $3,500 was paid to Visual Films that recently filmed a television show about Lake Tawakoni.

He said the feature would be aired three or four times in April on cable channels like the Outdoor Channel.

Yoho said the group would return to Lake Tawakoni and film the upcoming catfish tournament, held by the Lake Tawakoni Regional Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Cabella.

He reported that bids on work to be done at West Tawakoni City Park would be opened March 3. The work would be financed by the $50,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant.