Public safety director Carol Riddle spoke to the council about the steps she has been taking since being appointed for the formation of the department. She discussed future staffing including hiring the first Aledo police officers within the next fiscal year.
“The budget framework was submitted to TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) for review and approval, which has been approved,” she said. “It's built on conservative, but realistic, revenue assumptions positioning us to transition smoothly into a fully 24/7 operational police department.”
Riddle discussed how, after a salary review of surrounding police agencies, she has been working with city officers on the department budget that would account for the new officers' salaries and equipment.
Another item she said that was important to take into account is the current contract Aledo has with the Parker County Sheriff’s office for three full-time deputies. Riddle said that the cost of that contract is a little less than five full-time Aledo officers.
She plans to have a “phase in, phase out” plan where the Aledo police officers will phase in, and the Parker County deputies will phase out gradually to ensure a smooth transition.
Riddle said that in the best-case scenario the earliest that this phasing program will be complete is January of next year due to the 6-week hiring process, which includes interviews and tests, followed by an internal training program, all having to be complete before going out into the field.
“The work begins now because you have to hire the right people,” she said. “Everything has to line up. The timing has to be right. You have to train them.”
Riddle said she has already heard interest from people in other agencies in coming to work for the Aledo police department. The council also discussed the swearing in ceremony for Riddle into the position of chief of police, which will include an opportunity for the residents of Aledo to meet with her.
Also related to the police department, the council approved the purchase of two Dodge Durango police vehicles. According to Riddle, the cost of buying and outfitting these vehicles totals $144,204.
“That includes the lights, the cages, the radios, the in-car computer mounting system, all of those things that when you see the car, as well as the graphics on the outside of it,” she said.
This model was chosen over the Chevy Tahoe because of the cost and easier availability that the Durango offers. Riddle said that while there are reports of a maintenance issue with certain batches of this model built between 2019 to November of last year, she has already reached out to a service advisor who will be able to check the VIN numbers for the potential issue and make sure the necessary repair is made if needed.
“I'm confident that the Durangos that I'm requesting to purchase are going to suit our needs and that with just regular care and maintenance, they will be reliable for us to continue to drive,” she said.
Interim city manager decided
After coming out of executive session, the council voted to approve the contract making Mark McDaniel the interim city manager.
McDaniel recently retired from his position as the deputy city manager for Fort Worth and said he wants to make sure things are advancing within the city as he conducts a search for the permanent city manager.
“But I'm here to make sure that everything is running well and that we're taking care of the issues as they arise,” he said.
New city logo presented
Also shown at the meeting is the new City of Aledo logo presented by communications manager Laura Weber. The logo features a stylized “A” with a longhorn motif included. Weber said the logo is meant to symbolize Aledo’s roots.
The design was first approved by the council in December and the end of June marks the beginning of its rollout, with the public first seeing it at Aledo Summer Blast.
“This logo tells a story, and we want the unveiling to reflect the thought and meaning behind it,” Weber said.
In other city business, the council held an information session about the Public Information Act, which allows the public to request government information.
The presentation, given by sit-in city attorney Lindsey Hale in Alicia Kreh’s absence, included the basics of how the public can submit a request for information, the process for releasing that information, what types of information is available to be sent, and the deadlines associated to send to information to ensure no fines for the city.
The details of this legislation can be found in Chapter 552 of Texas Government Code.
The consent agenda passed in full, which included the cancellation of the July 3 regular city council meeting.
The board also tabled the discussion and decision for a zoning change resolution to a future meeting due to the request of the applicants.
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