LOCAL GOVERNMENT

SEPTEMBER 8 2014

BUGET WORKSHOP   6-6:30PM

BUDGET MEETING     6:30-7PM

CITY COUNCIL MEETING /TOWN HALL   7PM

Budget meetings; citizens had no information on actual expenditures for FY 2013/2014

City Council meeting:

18 items on the agenda

Department reports were very positive and informative
Police Department finally has a plaque for the building. They were thanked for their dedication to service. Revenue $44,023.77. For August/Sept 2014.

Volunteer Fire Department. Has applied for grants to further their mission. There is a plan for a location in Davila.

Library: continues to offer a program started during the summer. Please contact the Public library for current ongoing events

Down Town/HWY 95 street update: Project to fix/update the streets in Down Town will began Oct 1 2014. Ninety (90) % of the funds are  provided by Tx .DOT. $30,000.00 from the Movie Fund is  provided by the city of Bartlett. The Project should be completed in December 2014.
There are also funds allocated through grants for
Community development projects and  to repair /replace water and waste water systems. Please contact city hall for more information on these events

Bidding for the landscaping service will be placed in the newspaper but not  exclusively to  Bartlett citizens at least for 2 weeks. This would be a great tool to "Employ Bartlett". Bartlett citizens would  compete for city contracts 2 weeks before the contract was opened to persons who live outside of the city. If qualified citizens living in Bartlett meet the criteria wouldn't it make sense to employ them and keep the money in Bartlett? Councilman Gunter said it could not be done but actually it is a common process.

Lack of enforcement for the animal control ordinance.



Question: How does a group of concerned citizens get items placed on the agenda for the city council meeting?
 Situation: There are many issues in Bartlett that citizens are concerned about that are not discussed during the Town Hall meetings based on my research.
Background: Citizen's complaints  are unheard by a City government they elected.
Assessment/Data Collection: Will ask City Hall
Recommendation: Citizens should approach elected officials with concerns. If their concerns are not brought to the meeting those officials should be impeached or not voted back in.


I was informed there are two seats in City council up for election in May 2015.
As citizens of Bartlett we should all attend every open meeting the city has, become educated on items  we are not familiar with, interact with current council members, request records for items  we need to follow including ordinances, financial statements, meetings that concern how the city is ran ect. When it is time  to Vote we will all be equipped to vote for candidates who will represent the interest of the citizens and vote in our best interest. Having said that, there are many citizens who feel the best candidates are already in office. I am on the fence. Not leaning towards either side. I just need more information. I  have seen several good things city government is planning for the city. I truly believe the Mayor has the city's best interest in his heart. My problem is the reluctance to share PUBLIC information. I will go on record as saying the budget meeting was  NOT in the best interest of the citizens even though the PROPOSED budget is less than the previous year it can be changed easily by a vote from the same group who passed it.

Question:
In the upcoming election what would the citizens of Bartlett like to hear from the candidates?

Oct 5 2014. I was recently informed the Chief of Police resigned. As a good citizen of Bartlett I went to City hall and asked if they were going to release the reason for his resignation. I was told there are no plans to release that information. During conversations with fellow citizens of Bartlett  the reason for the police chief's resignation  remains vague BUT the events leading up to the resignation  clear.  The police Chief known as honest Abe in some circles  had an interaction( during the performance of his Police duties) with a family member of Chris Hill's. Chris Hill is the City Administration. After discussions with city officials the Police Chief was gone. It has been said he would not give preferential treatment to ANYONE so he was asked to leave. If this is true I sincerely hope he fights for his rights. If there is any truth to this scenario he was forced to resign and should fight back. There is another place in the blog where I wrote about another city employer being fired because he reported a relative of Chris Hill's was stealing electricity. Hmmmmmm