MINUTES
TOWN OF COPPER CANYON
REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY
JUNE 11, 2012
The Town Council of the Town of Copper Canyon met in regular session on Monday, June 11, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Copper Canyon Town Hall, 400 Woodland Drive, Copper Canyon, Texas, whereupon the following items were considered:
I. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Sue Tejml called the regular meeting of the Copper Canyon Town Council to order at 7:00 p.m. on the 11th day of June, 2012 in the Council Chambers at Copper Canyon Town Hall, 400 Woodland Drive, Copper Canyon, Texas, 75077.
Council Present
Sue Tejml Mayor
Jeff Mangum Mayor Pro Tem
Dan Christy Council Member
Charlie Nicholas Council Member
Steve Hill, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem, was absent due to his business schedule.
Dave Svatik, Council Member, was absent due to his business schedule.
Staff Present
Sheila Morales Town Secretary
Terry Welch Town Attorney
Donna Welsh Town Administrator
A quorum of the Town Council was established.
Mayor Tejml and Council Members led meeting attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas Flags.
II. PUBLIC INPUT
(Pursuant to State Open Meetings law, the Town Council cannot discuss or take action on items not posted on the Agenda. Therefore, the Council cannot take action on or discuss any issues or items brought up during public input.)
Mike Brasberger (820 Copperwoods Ln) encouraged the Town Council Members to review the Texas Municipal Retirement Pension Plan for employees and consider doing away with it in order to benefit the Town. He stated the following and then left the meeting.
· The Town Auditor, when explaining his audit findings this past fall (2011), noted that the Town’s employee pension fund was underfunded.
· Many cities have gone bankrupt because of their employee pension plans.
· The State of Texas does not require cities/towns to provide pensions for their employees.
· Most industries do not offer their employees pension plans.
· It is possible to hire good employees even without a pension plan.
· An alternative to a pension plan would be to offer the employees a 401K plan.
· No offense to the Town employees, but employee pension plans are bad for the Town.
III. MAYORS REMARKS
Mayor Tejml read a thank you note from Dillon Heer, one of the Town’s scholarship recipients.
Mayor Tejml asked if any of the Council Members had any questions regarding the Mayor’s Remarks as listed on the Agenda (and listed below). No questions were noted.
1. Will Travis is elected Sheriff of Denton County.
Congratulations to longtime resident Will Travis for his successful campaign to become the new Sheriff of Denton County. Travis was elected in the May Republican primary, which is tantamount to victory as there is no Democratic contender for the position in the general election. He will begin a four year term and manage over 600 employees in the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. Travis is a former Dallas Police Officer and was a commended Special Agent with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) for six years.
Travis campaigned for several new crime fighting programs for our County. He advocated that the Sheriff’s Office participate in the Attorney General’s “Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force,” which targets the growing problem of online child sexual predators. He said this freely available program is “instrumental in tracking down and bringing to justice child sexual predators and child pornographers.”
Will is also an experienced businessman, having founded X-Ray Business Solutions and owned and operated his own rodeo arena in Denton, the Diamond T Ranch. A long time rodeo competitor, Will’s team roping group won at the 2011 Stampede in Allen, Texas. Copper Canyon residents are especially grateful for the years Will has spent as an active volunteer firefighter for our Argyle Volunteer Fire District.
2. Jerry Raburn is re-elected as Constable of Denton County Precinct Three.
Jerry Raburn has lived in Lewisville since 1967 and was first elected Constable in 1992. As winner of the Republican primary, this term will begin his 20th year in office. Constable Raburn said that he has “assembled a top notch staff of Administrators and Deputies, some of whom have been in the department for over a decade.” He recently reorganized the Constable’s office to provide two Civil Deputies, two Warrant Deputies, and a full time Warrant Clerk. In Denton County there are 1,200 outstanding felony warrants for people charged with such serious crimes as murder, rape, robbery and sexual assault. As an Officer of the Court, Raburn said “The men and women of the Precinct Three Constable’s office are “dedicated to unity in a fair, impartial, and professional manner on both a civil and criminal level, and to promote a safe and secure community by working openly and diligently with other agencies.”
3. Copper Canyon Women’s Club Hosts Traditional July 4th Parade.
The Copper Canyon Women’s Club will again host its traditional Fourth of July Parade! Line up for the parade is Wednesday, July 4th, 9:30 a.m. in front of Town Hall at 400 Woodland Drive. Town residents are welcome to participate in the parade in their cars and trucks, floats, golf carts, four wheelers, bicycles, hand pulled wagons, or just walking. Fire Chief Mac Hohenberger will lead the parade through the Woodlands Subdivision with an Argyle Volunteer Fire District Fire Engine. (Unless the AVFD receives an emergency call.) Town children are welcome to ride up on top of the fire engine or blow the siren from inside the cab.
CCWC President Pris Johnson said all Town residents and their guests are welcome to come to Town Hall after the parade for hot dogs, cookies, and drinks. For additional information call Parade Chairman Carol Owens at (940) 241-1455.
4. Vandalism of Street Signs results in Needless Expense for our Town
Thanks to our alert Neighborhood Watch Block Captain Gary Burgin for noticing the missing stop sign at the intersection of Rolling Acres Drive and Jernigan Road. The Council and I would appreciate all Town residents keeping an eye on the stop signs and other traffic signs on Copper Canyon roads. These signs are not inexpensive, and they take some effort to erect and effectively anchor in the ground. A new Stop Sign without pole costs $20 plus labor to attach. A new residential street sign with break-away pole costs $120, plus labor to attach. A new larger arterial road sign with break-away pole (such as on Chinn Chapel Road or Orchid Hill Lane) costs $150, plus labor to attach.
5. Teenage Driver rutting right-of-way ground on Chinn Chapel Road
Our Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hill noted a young vehicle driver purposefully rutting the grassed right-of-way ground along Chinn Chapel Road at the intersection of Harlington Drive and also at the intersection of Woodland Drive. Being observant, he noted the license plate number. The driver does not live in Copper Canyon, but in a neighboring town. Steve is going to first contact the parents of the driver and ask for this destructive practice to cease. If it doesn’t, he’ll file a formal complaint in Municipal Court. (But voluntary compliance is preferred to a possible misdemeanor criminal record for a juvenile.)
6. First Confirmed Human Case of West Nile Virus in Denton County
Juan Rodriguez, Chief Epidemiologist with Denton County Health Department (DCHD), alerted Copper Canyon on Thursday May 31st of a confirmed case of West Nile Virus in the neighboring community of Lantana. This is the first confirmed human case in Denton County in two years. However, Rodriguez said that “Single reports of early onset of human illness do not necessarily indicate that an unusually heavy West Nile Virus season is ahead of us.” Additional information is on the DCHD West Nile Virus website.
Rodriguez also said that “Not every mosquito carries the virus, and less than 1 percent of the bites from mosquitoes that do have the virus actually cause serious illness. But we have had West Nile Virus in Denton County, and it is a good idea to reduce the risk by eliminating mosquito hatching grounds and minimizing exposure to mosquitoes.” So, survey around your home and yard and drain any standing water that might harbor mosquito wigglers. (I.e. saucers under outdoor potted plants; small ditches or depressions in the ground that might hold water after lawn irrigation rotor systems run, etc.) Try to stay indoors during dusk and dawn hours when mosquitoes are most prevalent. If outdoors during those hours, wear long sleeves and long pants and mosquito repellant with DEET as an active ingredient.
NOTE: Most local pest control companies offer mosquito spraying services for residences. The charge in May for me was $125 to spray for mosquitoes around my home, pool, garage and outdoor parking space, and surrounding yard areas. (The cost varies according to how extensive an area you want sprayed.)
7. “Colonel Dick” Hill receives over a 100 cards for his 90th Birthday!
“Colonel Dick” Hill received over 90 cards and congratulations for his 90th Birthday! His wife Natalie Hill wanted to thank all those individuals who took the time to write him. She said some of the messages that thanked him for his military service in World War Two brought tears to his eyes.
His daughter Laura Hill read aloud the article about him in the last “What’s Happening in Copper Canyon” article. When he saw the accompanying photograph, he exclaimed wonderingly “That is a picture of me in my Corps uniform at A&M!” Natalie said Colonel Dick now has a bag full of letters that he can look at one at a time over the next few months (Colonel Dick Hill and his family are dealing with his Alzheimer’s. But Natalie said her husband still has his wonderful sense of humor.)
8. Incredible Attendance at the Volunteer Appreciation Event!
It was obvious that folks who live in Copper Canyon enjoy a good party! Despite the lack of convenient parking and the need to walk a couple of blocks to reach the Mayor’s home on Orchid Hill (thank goodness it was sunny and a comfortable temperature for the walk), NINETY Town residents attended the Volunteer Appreciation Event! The level of laughter, and visiting, and camaraderie was so high - you would think we were offering free beer and wine, instead of tea and lemonade. But, as usual, the Hostess and Cookbook Committee members offered a wonderful assortment of hors d’oeuvres and homemade desserts! The Event was the Town’s way of “thanking” all the individuals who serve on committees, on Adopt-a-Spot for litter cleanup of our roadsides, as Neighborhood Watch Block Captains – and all those residents who, in the past or present, served as the ultimate volunteers - as Town Council Members.
A sincere Thank You to Cookbook and Hostess Committee members Mary Alexander, Vonda Andrews, Debbie Baumann, Kaye Hill, Karla Hohenberger, Rita Lokie, Mary Maddoux, Gerri Mariano, Mary Ellen O’Donnell, Donna Yetter and Andre Nicholas for grilling his Venison and German Bratwurst Sausage. And a special thanks to Staff Members: Municipal Court Clerk Carol McLeod, who worked many hours updating our permanent “event” Nametags that identify each volunteer and their area (or areas) of service; Town Secretary Sheila Morales, who contributed to “setting up” the party and to the hors d’oeuvres; and foremost to our Town Administrator Donna Welsh, who always competently provides for all the paper goods and utensils, table cloths, and liquid refreshments! And an additional thanks to volunteer Town Photographer Denise Remfert, who took photos of the new Block Captains and the Scholarship recipients and their parents! This was definitely a team effort between Town Volunteers and Staff members! Thank you all!
9. New Neighborhood Watch Block Captains are Introduced
New Block Captains were announced and a Group Photo taken to hang in the collage at Town Hall of our Neighborhood Watch. They are Mary Bernhard (South Berry Trail Ct.), Larry Cahill (Knollridge Dr.), Nancy Henry (East Jernigan Road), Natalie and Laura Hill – a mother & daughter team (southern end of Copper Canyon Road), Kevin and Mary Ellen O’Donnell (Oakridge Trail), Russell and Jeni Payton (Copper Woods Lane), and Matt Thompson (South Berry Trail Ct.). A sincere Thank You to these residents who are willing to help keep their neighbors and our small town safe. Block Captains will receive updated maps and contact sheets this summer.
10. Much appreciated Gift Certificates for Volunteers from restaurants Fogo de Chao, Blue Goose, Pei Wei, Cotton Patch, and Rockfish!
Equally fun was offering the donated restaurant gift certificates for our many Town Volunteers. Longtime resident Annell Bradford had the honor of drawing the winners. Our former Mayor Larry Johnson, the CEO of the Fogo de Chao international restaurant chain, contributed two $100 gift certificates won by Bud Fouts and Marsha Thompson! Our current Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Steve Hill contributed four $25 gift certificates to the Blue Goose Mexican Restaurant in Highland Village. These were won by Jean Chaka, Kaye Hill, Jeff Mangum, and Chris Svatik. Town Secretary Sheila Morales and Cookbook Committee member Gerri Mariano each won a Pei Wei gift certificate. Frank Baumann won the Cotton Patch gift certificate and Mary Maddoux won the Rockfish one. I hope all our Town residents will dine at the restaurants that were so generous with their gift certificates, as a way of saying “Thank You” for their contributions!