Future of Copperas Cove Five Hills Scholarship Program to be decided at city council meeting

By LYNETTE SOWELL 
Cove Leader-Press 

After several meetings of discussions, public input, and postponements, the Copperas Cove city council will discuss and take action on the status of the relationship of the City of Copperas Cove “with the Miss Five Hills Scholarship Pageant/Program and storage of parade floats” during its meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Since Oct. 1, 2016, the program has been under the “umbrella” of the city, with the city being the fiduciary agent of the program, as well as allowing the program to use the facilities for its events at no cost. Recently, however, the city administration has questioned the liability surrounding the program which has raised tens of thousands of dollars for city quality of life programs and nonprofit causes. The fee surrounding the annual pageant has not been adopted by the council on the city’s official fee schedule, and there is no ordinance in place for the program at this point. Additionally, the program does not receive funds budgeted by the city.
Copperas Cove city administration is asking for the city council to give direction and take action on the “relationship options of the Miss Five Hills Scholarship Pageant/Program and if a storage facility should be funded/constructed and timing of a budgetary allocation for the storage facility,” which the council has postponed until all members of the council can be present for the meeting. 
Also this evening, the council will hold a pair of public hearings, to include the second public hearing on the curfew for minors ordinance, as well as the second public hearing for amending the city code to allow residents to have up to 10 hens on their property, an increase from six. 
The council is also being presented with an amendment to the city’s staff policy for holidays, to include Juneteenth as a paid holiday for City of Copperas Cove employees. 
Bobby Lewis, the city’s Development Services Director, will be given the Kendig Keast Collaborative Report, which is a virtual presentation of the firm’s Zoning Ordinance Critique for the City of Copperas Cove.
During the City Manager’s Report, City Manager Ryan Haverlah will be updating the council on the effects (if any) in the city due to Winter Storm Landon from February 3-5, as well as projects to include the Business 190 project, the Pecan Cove Road project, City Park restrooms, road repairs update, as well as the City Council Strategic and Financial Planning Workshop Preparation and the upcoming budget calendar for fiscal year 2022-2023.
During the 5 p.m. workshop prior to the regular meeting, Mayor Dan Yancey will be issuing a proclamation for Black History Month. 
The workshop discussion will include a project for “improvements to the City Council Chambers, including the dais reconstruction.”
The building was completed in May 2017, with a $22,600 winged dais as part of that project. but in October 2020, Yancey requested to discuss possibly a remodel of a curved dais to be included with the installation of new AV equipment being purchased to use for the meetings. During Tuesday’s workshop, the council will discuss proposed designs of the new dais.
The workshop and meeting will take place in the city council chambers at 508 S. 2nd St., and will also be live-streamed on the city’s YouTube channel and broadcast on the local Spectrum Channel 10.