The San Saba City Council met on January 9, 2023.
Mayor Ken Jordan opened the Public Hearing to allow public comment on its Texas Community Development Block Grant Program project that provided water improvements. The intent of the Public Hearing is to review program performance and receive public comments. No citizens were present to express this TxCDGB Program for Contract No. 7220420.
No citizens signed up for Public Comment. Presentations
Kim Wilson, Accounts Payable Clerk, was selected as the Employee of the Month for January. Charlene Lindsay, City Treasurer, and Alderman Marcus Amthor presented Kim with a plaque with her name on it and a gift certificate to a local restaurant.
Consent Agenda Items
AResolution of the City Council of San Saba, Texas, designating the San Saba News & Star as the official City Newspaper was passed, approved, and resolved.
Discussion/Action items The first item for discussions/ action was to discuss and consider approval of Financial Audit. Kevin Shahan addressed the Council and asked them to review the three letters in front of the audit. He gave the audit a Clean Opinion for the 2023 Year Report and said the City is in better shape than last year. Mr. Shahan said the internal controls were functioning properly and are continuing to do so. He explained the Net Position goes up, and the City is better financially this year and last year. There is an increase in the Net Position. Mr. Shahan also gave a thank you to Charlene, Sabrina, the City Manager, and the Girls at City Hall. After reviewing the audit with the Council, he said he is available if anyone has any questions about the audit and appreciates the City's transparency. The Council unanimously approved the 2023 Financial Audit.
City Manager's Report
City Manager Scott Edmonson gave a brief report on the following activities in the City of San Saba:
• The contractor started work on the splash pad.
• The Parks Department has started taking down Christmas lights.
• After the windstorm, trees are down, TV cable lines down.
• Had major sewage stoppage on Highway 16, and the department found a big old grease ball, ordered 800 ft. of Jetting house put on a reel, and the line is 6 ft. deep.
• The revitalization project is still on track.
• We should have the new RV Ordinance for the City Council to review and approve at the next City Council meeting.
• The San Saba Youth League Contract will be available at the next Council meeting for review and approval.
• The city phones are still not working properly.
• The Sheepdog Trials will be hosted in San Saba February 28th through March 3rd. The original trials were hosted here.
• We are getting closer to the Eclipse, and we will have someone with the Hill Country Alliance come here to provide information and answer questions.
Other reports Public works director Scott Glaze: I am staying busy. I was out driving during the holidays due to shoulder surgery, and my shoulder is getting better.
Chief John Bauer:
Chief Bauer addressed the City Council about the Racial Profiling Report that is prepared and turned into the state. (A copy of this report was provided to the Council.) The Racial Profiling Report is for traffic stops only; verbal warnings are not included. We've had complaints about racial issues, and if you look at the Racial Profiling Report, you can see that is not the case. There was a total of 634 stops, 467 White, 135 Hispanics/Latino, 20 black, four native American, four Asian, zero middle eastern, three native Hawaiian or other Pacific islander, zero other, one unknown. The San Saba Police department tries to be as open and transparent as we can, and I operate under an open-door policy.
As there was no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 6:48 p.m.
The next city council meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 13th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the City Hall Chambers. The public is invited to attend. Public comments are welcomed.