City council postpones ad valorem tax discussion

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press

During its Tuesday evening workshop, the Copperas Cove city council tabled discussion about the ad valorem tax rate for 2015-2016, as city manager Andrea Gardner reported by that time she had only received the certified property values from Lampasas County and she is awaiting values from Coryell County. During the regular meeting that followed, the city council approved an ordinance amending the 2014-2015 fiscal year budget after holding a second public hearing on Tuesday night. This was due to the city’s general fund’s revenues decreasing by $246,142 and expenditures decreasing $345,981 overall; the water and sewer fund having a revenue decrease of $299,507 and an expenditure decrease of $120,462, using $179,045 of its fund balance; the solid waste fund having an increase in revenue of $274,239 and an expenditure decrease of $24,301; the golf course fund having a decrease in revenue of $10,089 and expenditure decrease of $7,199, with its fund balance decreasing by $2,890; and the drainage fund having an increase in revenue of $31,070 and an expenditure decrease of $12,826. The second hearing was to rezone Lot A, Block 12 of the Nauert Addition, locally known as 2102 & 2104 Business 190, from B-2 (Business) to B-4 (Business). The property owner, Wesley Atkinson, said he has an interested buyer who would like to turn the property into a dog grooming business. After the rezoning hearing, the council voted to approve the rezoning for that area, which is the former location of That Nail Place, located near the intersection of MLK Jr. Boulevard and Business 190. City Manager Andrea Gardner also presented an ordinance to adopt a Hotel Occupancy Tax policy, which the council approved. This HOT policy spells out the way that entities who receive those funds from the city must report their expenditures to the city. Groups like the chamber of commerce, C.H.A.M.P.S. and others receive those funds. The council approved the dissolving of the Parks Improvement Committee, and instead appointed three of those applicants as alternates to the Parks Advisory Board. Those alternates are Barbara Tate, Chuck Taylor and Adam Redmond. The city council took no action on the appointment of an individual to the Brazos G Water Planning Group to represent Industries Interests. The city did not receive any applications for this position. The council did approve the appointment of John Weber to the Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful Commission to fill an unexpired term. Toward the end of the meeting, chamber of commerce president Betty Price presented a quarterly report, during which she told the council the chamber is in the “talking stages” for a summer event next year. She also said the chamber is making a $10,000 donation to support the development of Rhode Park. Recycling coordinator Silvia Rhoades also gave an update on the single stream recycling program, saying that recycling was up during the months of April, May and June, with six tons, two tons, and five tones more being recycled than trash put out in the blue bins. The department is also ordering 3,759 more green recycling containers to complete areas 7, 6, and 5, with 290 containers to start area 4. Although there still continues to be contamination in the single stream recycling, there is less contamination. “We’re moving in the right direction,” Rhoades said.