Council to discuss amending fence ordinance

By LYNETTE SOWELL

Cove Leader-Press 

The Copperas Cove city council will discuss the possibility of amending the maximum allowable height of a fence located on residentially zoned properties during its regular meeting tonight at 6 p.m. at the Copperas Cove Economic Development Corporation Building, located at 210 S. 1st St. 

Also up for discussion is possibly changing the time of public recognitions during the first meeting of each month to an earlier time, to allow more time for the workshop meeting. The council will also consider and act on amending the city’s code of ordinances as far as designating someone to perform the duties of City Manager in their absence or disability. The proposed amendment would have the city manager file a letter with the city secretary’s office for that designation. In this case, city manager Andrea Gardner has designated the Parks & Recreation director, Joe Brown, as the primary choice, and Ryan Haverlah, the city’s budget director, as the second designated individual.

Also at tonight’s meeting, the council will hold a public hearing regarding a request to rezone 7.258 acres along the eastern right-of-way of Grimes Crossing Road from AG (Agricultural) to R-1 (Single-Family Residential). Later in the meeting, there will be a vote taken by the council on the rezoning request.

There will also be the first public hearing held for an amendment to the city’s fiscal year 2016-2017 Operating Budget 

Kendall Cox, director of the Heart of Texas Defense Alliance, will make a presentation to the council about professional services rendered by HOTDA from January through March 2017. Also on the agenda is a decision about releasing funds to HOTDA in the amount of $4,250 during that time period. 

City Manager Andrea Gardner is bringing an amendment to the council for approval, the first amendment to the Professional Services Agreement with Hidell and Associates Architects, Inc. the firm which is designing the library renovations. 

The subject of an agreement between the City of Copperas Cove and the Hill Country Community Action Association, which operates the federally funded Head Start Program, is also on the agenda. HCCAA has had both a land lease and a property lease with the City of Copperas Cove, for the lot at 1105 Leonhard St., the property at 1008 and 1012 North Dr., which are the program classrooms and administrative offices; as well as 711 Beckman Parkway in City Park. The council is being asked to authorize the city manager to create and establish a long-term lease agreement for the Head Start program. The most recent lease was good through Feb. 13, 2017 for the lease of the Leonhard Street lot. 

The City of Copperas Cove’s employee health, dental, and vision insurance coverage for the upcoming year is up for consideration and action, both by the city’s Employees Benefit Trust and the city council. During the regular meeting tonight, the council will recess the regular meeting and conduct business as the EBT, then reconvene into regular session. 

The request for a utility easement from Kasada, LLC, is being brought to the council for approval this evening. Kasada, LLC is in the process of constructing the Raising Cane’s restaurant located at 2730 E. Bus. 190.

The council is also being asked to appoint another member to the Keep Copperas Cove Beautiful Commission. The city has received an application from Cesar Munguia for one of two vacancies on the commission. 

The 2017 Certificates of Obligation bonds are on the agenda for approval by the council this evening. This year’s bonds include $9,997,419 in projects, to include tax-supported projects such as parks improvements, library renovations, capital outlay plan, and transportation improvement projects; water/sewer supported project like city park sewer line replacements, phase III of the Southwest Water improvements, and the relocation of the Killeen/Cove 20-inch water line relocation; and golf course improvements.

The council will also hold an executive session to discuss Kempner Water Supply Corporation v. City of Copperas Cove.

Prior to the meeting, a workshop will be held at 5 p.m., with the subject of the workshop being a discussion about payday loans and the need for city regulation. This was the subject of a previous workshop in February 2014.