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News
Please note,
at this time the archives only contain stories that were
posted to the website after August 26, 2002.
City one step closer to forming sub-regional planning commission By Bill Crist The Cameron City Council heard the first reading of an ordinance that will create the Little River Basin Sub-Regional Planning Commission at its meeting Monday night. The benefits of forming a commission were presented to the council by Ralph Snyder, Dan Byfield and Gene Linn. They told the council that a sub-regional commission has the same "stature" as a council of governments, but can focus its attention at a much more local level. According to Cameron City Manager Ricky Tow, the commission will be an agreement between two or more cities, and could include the county and local school boards - although none of those details have been addressed. Tow said the East Central Texas Sub Regional Planning Commission played an instrumental role in raising concerns and slowing down the Trans Texas Corridor, as well as raising flags about the path of proposed power lines. "It can be a huge tool," Tow said. The second reading of the ordinance is expected to be on the council's agenda at its next meeting. The council also approved a resolution stating the " appraisal roll with amounts due totaling $1,188,836.71, for the year 2009 is approved and is the tax roll for the city of Cameron for the year of 2009." Councilman Joe White voted against the resolution. The council also gave Tow permission to go ahead with an auction of surplus city equipment that includes vehicles, equipment, furniture, books and other items. The council did not take action on last week's report about a damaged bridge in Oak Hill Cemetery, but Tow told the council that additional roads in the city had washed out and that new culverts were needed on at least two of them. Tow also told council members that Animal Control Officer Larry Wells was recovering at an assisted living center in Houston after suffering a stroke last Friday. City plans upgrades at airport Last week, Tow, Ginger Watkins and White attended a meeting in Caldwell to discuss programs available to local airports. Tow said that there are plans in the works to add an all-weather receiver/transmitter - or AWOS system - at the airport, as well as a swipe-card system for fuel. The city council is also considering ways to upgrade the pilot's work area, or lounge. The Caldwell meeting was a chance for city representatives to meet the Texas Dept. of Transportation to learn about available grant money, what projects would qualify for grant funds and what projects specific cities and towns should think about undertaking. According to information distributed at the meeting, Cameron Municipal Airpark has an annual economic impact of more than $1.1 million. Last year there were 1,500 takeoffs or landings at the airport. Tow said the weather system and fuel system could both be installed in the coming year.
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