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Craig Vaughn
Brush truck could convert to jetter, public safety director says
Members of the Como city council discussed sewer repairs and public safety among other items of business at the regular March meeting Tuesday.
SEWER
Director of Water Operations Craig Vaughn gave the maintenance update.
“As you know we had an issue a few weeks ago down around the pool on Taylor Street, and when we broke that loose, it relieved everything on Jefferson and McBride,” Vaughn told the council. “We were hopeful that took care of the major part of the problem… but as we got the problem fixed at the pool… other problems redeveloped during the first of the month.”
Vaughn said the problem stemmed from several line blockages that had sewer lines running, at most, at three-quarters capacity. Finding the scope of water and sewer problems too complicated to fix with the tools they had, the city contacted an outside contractor, Vaughn said. Cleaning out a large amount of blockages accounts for the $16,000 charge the council previously approved, he said.
“It was a lifesaver,” Vaughn said. “They found five or six problems and corrected them, and it took those type of tools we didn’t have.”
Vaughn said the city is also looking into receiving a bid from the company for running a line from State Highway 11 to McBride Street.
Citizens Melissa Harrison and Becky Wicks appeared during citizen comments to discuss sewer problems in the 200 block of McBride Street. Harrison stated she had made “multiple calls to the city regarding the sewage that runs under the house and down the street.”
“Our main concern is the damage all the standing/ running sewage is doing to the pier foundation, not to mention the mold growth,” Harrison said. Harrison stated she was aware the city had self-reported to TCEQ but questioned what would be done additionally.
“We have intentions on fixing it up, but we have to wait,” Harrison said. “We had to put in a lift station that we maintain… and now it’s just running back underneath the house. Our concern is about our investment.”
City maintenance supervisor Ted Joiner noted that the city had put out lime. Mayor DarlaHenry noted she was concerned about the recent amount of rain mixing with sewer overflow making the ground “soggy.”
“You’ve got rain, you’ve got sewer overflow, that’s a lot more than rainwater,” Harrison said. “I’m not saying our renter is the best maintenance man. I understand y’all are trying to remedy the problem, but we want it on record we have a concern.”
“We know there’s an issue that’s been going on,” Council member Jerry Radney said. “That’s been going on even when I was mayor. There were open holes in the sewer line where rainwater got in.”
All parties resolved to reapproach the situation once the weather was drier, and all agreed that the problem did not entirely stem from the disorder of the property itself. Henry directed maintenance worker Darris Cross to return to the property to spread lime and do a visual inspection of the state of the sewer and to take Lowen in case “things get out of hand” with the tenant.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Lowen provided an update on public safety. He stated he was applying for two different grants, but as he had never applied for grants before, “there is a learning curve.” He was also under the impression, he said, that he did not have to do a racial profiling report, but had later received an email from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement stating it was required.
Lowen delivered to the council the Como Police Department’s racial profiling report: “I have no report to give because I haven’t stopped anybody. Racial profiling has to do with motor vehicle stops and pedestrian stops.”
According to Lowen, before the police department was operational last year, he did respond to one call.
“I was dispatched last year to shots fired, which was a total misunderstanding. They thought their back porch was a shooting range and it was not, and that was called in by Darris [Cross, city maintenance worker],” Lowen stated. “Obviously there was no damage done.”
Lowen also stated he believed some tires needed to be replaced on fire vehicles, and he proposed that a brush truck from the fire department could be sold to the city and converted into a jetter truck.
Radney suggested the fire department test out the idea on cleaning out culverts, and Lowen stated he thought that would be a good idea “when the rain quits.” Lowen also updated the council that fire volunteers had done a deep clean on the station and rec center, but might need to hire a company to clean the floors.
“I just want to say as a citizen I feel safer, I feel proud to be a citizen of the city. I see our police department, fire department and public works working together to make sure we are taken care of. In the past I didn’t always feel that way,” Radney said. “People notice and they mention it to me, and I want to let you know we are proud of you guys.”
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:28 p.m.