The land, owned by Bar-Ko Land Company LLC, is situated on the south side of Bankhead Hwy. just across from the Aledo Athletics fields.
City Planner Chelsea Kirkland told the council the property owner will seek a zoning change when the Planning & Zoning Commission meets on April 21. The measure passed unanimously with no discussion.
Not so unanimous was the issue of whether the power to hire the city’s police chief should reside with the city manager or the city council.
Council member Chawn Gilliland said originally the city council hired the police chief. Along the way the ordinance was changed to give that power to the city manager, and Gilliland made a motion to put the council back in charge of hiring the police chief.
“It wasn't broke to start with,” Gilliland said. “I think we need to revert back to what we originally thought it was. It worked.”
Council member Buddy Wright disagreed.
“In terms of directors of the departments that we have in the city, the police chief is just one of the directors that we have,” Wright said. “My point is that we're carving out something that's inconsistent. We're not hiring and firing the other department heads.”
Gilliland made a motion to adopt the change. Council member Eric Contreras seconded, and, joined by Scott Smith had a 3-2 majority, with Crummel and Wright voting “no.”
Following a lengthy executive session the council returned to award a construction contract to Skyblue Utilities, Inc. for the Bankhead Utility Extension, Phase 2.
Jacob & Martin engineer Nic Kirk explained that the low bid was $4.1 million.
The project provides sewer to the Beall Dean Development at the southwest corner of FM 1187 and Interstate 20.
It also runs water lines down Bankhead, which will allow the system to be looped.
The council also voted to correct a scrivener’s error that had placed 2,603 square feet of right-of-way belonging to Aledo in Willow Park’s city limits.
County Judge Pat Deen and Director of Strategic Projects Bryan Grimes spoke to the council in an information-only item encouraging support for a county-wide comprehensive thoroughfare plan. Deen anticipated another transportation bond in the coming years, and hope the communities in the county can coordinate and cooperate in the plan.
Grimes announced that Willow Park Council member Eric Contreras has accepted a position on the county’s thoroughfare plan steering committee.
In public comments, Hillary Shepherd spoke of campaign signage violations, and urged stricter ordinances. Vicki Sears discussed the influence of political donors Tim Dunn and Faris Wilks on local politics. Michelle Duffy proposed reducing property taxes by 20%. Gene Martin was critical of the proposed cost to fix Squaw Creek Drive. Christine Langston praised Mayor Palmer's transparency. Kay Green requested speed control on Vista Drive. Bill Green raised concerns about Squaw Creek's water issues.
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